Jump
by Pashleyy
Summary: Four teens mishap in a world they either love, or they hate. Depends on your point of view, really. And there just so happens to be an evil force reckoning with them. What did they do to deserve a karma like this? You'll see.
1. Never Take the Wheelchair Express

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A/N: Okay. I have to admit. I reuploaded all the chapters and sorta blended some together cause I mean, the measly one pagers were really taking up unwanted space on my hard drive. So I decided to blend some together and whala! We got longer chapters. I also added a few nitpicks here and there. And I changed the category from _humor/drama _to _action adventure._ I thought it was more fitting because of the newer chapters...But there is still a bit of dry humor in here...hehe

And to all my faithful reviewers, I am still gonna do Ode to Reviewers, but that section will only show up in the new chapters I upload from now on. I thought it would be rather confusing to repaste everything and put it on here and each one being for a different chapter that's now one chapter and aw...I'm confusing myself again...Anyway, hope your not mad about this and this means, well, I guess it means that there will just be longer chapters as I have said before -_-; and all. And hopefully I can update on a regular basis. I hope so.

Warnings: There is some violence in here and some humor. But don't let that scare you! Let my OC's do that! ^_~. But there is some themes in here and that's why it's rated PG. If ya a little kid(7...8...9...and some 10 year olds too...) scram! Unless you are mature enough to handle my OC's and their crazy tactics. And this is NOT yaoi.

Summary: Four devious teens are somehow transported into the world of their favorite show, Yu-Gi-Oh! There will be hardships, trickery, humor, disaster, and laughs along the way, but there arrival has triggered something much more greater than friendship as they soon know. The whole world depends on whether they can work together, all of them, to defeat the malevolence that threatens to destroy this world and their own! Will they make it? At what cost will they succeed? What is more important? Friendship or revenge? And will they ever get home and see their loved ones once more? The future of everyone lies in the hands of destiny. And destiny is never kind.

Okay! enough of that! Now on with the show!!

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Jump

Never ride on the Wheel Chair Express 

"Aw! Ya gotta be kidding me gramps!" Tiki said totally frustrated.

"Nope, this DVD costs twenty-four dollars and you only have half of that Tik, sorry." He stated calmly. His old complexion giving a small smile from the enthusiastic side of the girl. He looked up to see two police officers coming the way of the young lady. He looked at the often visitor and eyed her. "Did you get into mischief again? He asked.

Tiki looked behind her and found two cops coming her way. "N-No I didn't do anything! I just wanted to buy this darn thing Gramps!" Tiki shouted, accidentally slamming the DVD down as it crashed into a zillion pieces. Tiki looked up wide-eyed, with an eyelid twitching open and shut. "I hate my life...." She jammed her hands into her pocket and walked off, trying to be unsuspicious.

She passed by her friend as she saw the police officers coming closer. "It's time to go Naomi!" She whispered pulling her friend in the opposite direction of the police officers.

"Why? I wanted to stay longer! There was a hot picture of Joey on the poster over there!" She whimpered, struggling out of her friend's grip. Then she spotted the police and rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me, you harassed the cashier again...." Naomi sighed and started to quicken her pace.

"Yup," Tiki stated calmly as one of the police officers spotted them and started to race in their direction yelling.

"Hey! Stop! You Missies! Stop!" The police officer repeated in a German dialogue as the girls walked on. 

"Great, two FUZZ cops are after us! Tiki what DID you do? Usually there's only one on our tale at the mall!" Naomi complained as Tiki started to drag her again.

"I said STOP!" The police officer shouted, starting to run after the girls.

The duo started to run too as they turned to corner, bumping into another security man. They smiled and slipped away, dashing to the nearest drug store in the mall.

Tiki ran up to the cash register and bought a pack of gum. Naomi dragged her out by her heals and they headed due south. Where the food court was.

"Here, have a piece of gum." Tiki offered as she stuck a piece in her mouth. Naomi picked a cheery flavored one and popped it into her mouth. They chewed and ran at the same time.

"Hey Tik," Naomi said exhausted. "How are we gonna get out of this jam?" She asked as the klutz ran into a man in a wheel chair. She knocked him flat off.

Tiki stopped. "I got an idea!" She rejoiced and hopped into the wheel chair. Naomi apologized to the man and started to push the wheel chair down a ramp that lead to the food court.

"This is gonna be fun...!" Naomi yelled non-enthusiastically as she hopped onto the back of the chair, balancing her weight to the front of the craft.

"I am so enthusiastic...." Tiki gulped, swallowing her gum, as they started to speed down the hill. "That wasn't smart..." She choked out, choking some on her mint-flavored gum. "I don't even like mint..." She mumbled as speed up faster.

The two girls zoomed passed neighboring traffic as they made their way down Mt. Everest. Skidding on one wheel at times as they hit the railings and spun the chair to the side. The chair quickly regained it's stability and resumed it's coarse into the food court. It knocked down chairs and bowled people right over as a child walked into the median.

"CRAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!" The duo screamed, there eyes bulging out of there heads, as they had to abort the route. Naomi clamped onto the wheels and turned the right wheel harder so it went left. Straight into a line of tables. 

"Dang.... Hey Bob look at that!" One police officer cried as a line of tables were cascaded into to air by two girls in a wheel chair. The tables went left and right as the wheelchair headed straight for the arcade.

"Hey! Who's up for some video games?" Tiki shouted to her friend as they neared the arcade.

"Not MMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Naomi screamed as she pushed down hard on the break. She heard something crack and screech. She lifted the broken brake bar as her friend watched on in horror.

"Abandon Shiiiiiiiiiiippppppppppppp!!!!!!!!!!" Tiki shrieked as they sped into the arcade, exceeding the speed limit by a good ten miles. Naomi managed to turn the chair so it did a U-turn and bought the girls seconds more time to live. They headed for a game that the title was unclear as they whizzed towards it. 

Suddenly the chair turned in a different direction as the girls zoomed out of the arcade, loosing Tiki's Driver's Licenses in the process.

"I lost my ID!" Tiki shouted as she tried to snatch her ID before it fell past her. 

Naomi slapped her face, "Your worried about a friggin' Driver's License! Oh yeah, a policeman might run us down and fine us! Yeah, if they can catch us that is!" Her bandana flew off her head as she caught it as they headed back into the food court.

They screamed cross the floor like a mad cow as they headed for a card shop.

"Anyone up for some Yu-Gi-Oh cards?" Tiki joked around as they neared the shop. Naomi knocked her on the head one good time as they started to enter the shop.

"I could use an out of this world experience right now!" Naomi screamed as they sped into the game shop. The wheel chair ran straight for the back wall, where reluctantly, there were bookcases to ram into.

"I guess we can't stop, huh?" Tiki gulped as Naomi shook her head and waved the brake bar in front of her friend. Tiki sighed and shouted, "Goodbye world! Nice knowin' ya!" She screamed as they edged closer to the bookcases.

The friends looked at each other, shook hands and screamed, "NUTCASES ON THE JOB!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!" They laughed as the wheelchair crashed into the back bookshelves.

The crowd gasped as they heard a loud crash and a wheel off a wheelchair come rolling out of the smoke. When the smoke cleared, there was a mess of DVD's and games strung out on the floor. But no sign of the culprits in sight...

"Excuse me! Move out of the way!" The police officers shouted as they pushed their way through the chaotic crowd to the scene of the incident.

When the one police officers finally made it to the scene of the accident he said, "Alright girls, are you-" He stopped and gasped at the sight. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"What is it Billy?" Another police officer called to his teammate.

"Hank, they're-they're," He paused. "Gone..." He finally gasped as the other police officers came into view. The crowd started to panic as they stampeded out of the store, bulldozing the officers into the ground in the process.

"What?!" The others shouted as they saw the sight for the first time.

"By Joe! They are gone!!" Gasped another.

Then the chief came into view. "What?! How could you buffoons let two teenage girls disappear like that! Where are they?!" He sighed looking at the puzzlement on the officers faces. This was the third this week that mysteriously disappeared without a trace, and the police officers were running out of excuses to the parents. Not even a trail for them to follow was left behind. Like they were never here. "All right, well, this case will be highly confidential along with the others, you hear me? Any one who saw this incident unfold will not speak a word of it! Their parents will have to be notified." He scratched his chin.

"But boss, what will we tell them?" Asked one officer.

The boss shrugged, "It's obvious, tell them the truth but jazz it up a bit. Like they got kidnapped or something. I don't care. I don't want to give this security force a bad name. Now off with ya! And get this place cleaned up pronto!" With that said, he left to go finish his dounut.

The man that was the clerk of the DVD store walked out of the game shop. He exited the food court and made his way back to the DVD shop. He swept up the pieces of plastic that was left over by the DVD that Tiki had shattered and muttered to himself, "Those two tikes." He laughed, "They ain't dead. No sirry, their with my grandchild. One of the ones that went missing this week. Though I might not know where they are right now. They should make the best of it, for their heart desired it.... This same incident...brings back memories. Only he didn't hitch a ride in a wheelchair. My grandson fell off the Farris wheel and vanished in thin air. Like him, they yearned for an adventure from the deepest part of their soul. They got their wish. In the way, not many are offered..." He smiled and resumed his cleaning. 

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" The duo screamed as they fell through a blue, swirling abyss. They started to fall faster and faster. Tiki clutched onto Naomi as Naomi started to fall backwards and sideways.

"I never liked rides that went upside down!" Tiki screamed as she tried to keep her shorts pulled down. "My shorts are starting to ride up my butt!" She complained as her angle shifted to knee-falling.

"I didn't need to know that!" Naomi shouted back sarcastically, falling head first down the vortex. "And don't you dare puke either! I remember that time on the swings at the fair!" Naomi then shifted to a feet first position, trying to hold down her baggy white shirt that said 'I am Nobody' in BIG purple letters.

"Do you think we're gonna land any time soon?" Tiki asked now clutching her shorts and pulling them down. She laughed, "Cause I'm getting a major wedgie!" She complained again as Naomi burst out in laughter.

"I don't know," Naomi shrugged, "Guess we should have checked with the travel agent!" She replied, now falling in all directions.

"And I say, this is no First-class flight either!" Tiki remarked, "What kind of cheap tickets did y-" Suddenly she saw the ground coming nearer and nearer. The Jamaican turned pale and gulped.

Naomi noticed her drop of spirit and asked, "What's wrong?" She asked as she noticed the ground too. "Whoa! Hold the phone!" She screamed as her limbs started to wave madly around.

The ground came closer and closer as the girls both closed their eyes and hoped for a miracle. Which wouldn't happen of course...would a miracle send them flying through a swirling blue vortex at a speed unimaginable? I thought not. 

"I'M TOO YOUNG TO DDDDIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" They screamed as they started falling faster and faster. A city came into view and a very tall building to the west. The girls started to marvel at the sight as they forgot about the falling issue. Then they snapped back to their hectic state and began to scream bloody murder again. They could see a city square down below and a duel raging on.

"Hey Naomi, do you see that? A duel!" Tiki shouted as she pointed to the duel down below.

"Yeah, nice." Naomi commented as she noticed something strange about it. "Hold the second phone!" She shouted, scaring the daylights out of the Jamaican. She pointed to the monsters that were attacking each other. "That's a holographic duel! We don't have that technology! I would know!" She stared at the duel coming closer and closer into view.

"Isn't that a Gear Freed right below us?" Tiki asked as the gigantic monster came closer and closer into view.

Naomi peered over at her, "Yeah, too bad it's hollow and not real..." She paused. "But wait...Holograms...the duel monsters stadium...the technology...the animation? " She gulped as the two duelist came into view. She glanced at the boy on the right with spiky multicolored hair then at the blonde. "Yugi....Joey?" She gasped. "My life is fulfilled! I gazed upon to of the most hottest guys on the show!" She laughed as Tiki slapped some sense into her.

"Yeah, we're gonna **DIE**!" She snapped, then noticed the two duelist also. Tiki looked at her, "Is it possible?" She asked her friend growing wide-eyed. Naomi shook her head. "But the only place that would have the technology is....And the Characters is...." She trailed off as they both started to realize how real it was.

The two girls gulped and whispered, "The world of Yu-Gi-Oh!"

Then Tiki noticed a certain light engulfing her fingers. She gasped and tried to shake it off, it wouldn't come off. "Naomi! Help!" She screamed as Naomi looked at her own hands as the light engulfed both of the friends entirely.

A strange sensation passed through them as a soft hush fell over the wind whizzing passed their ears. It was like a strange feeling was uplifting them as the light faded, revealing two animated girls with shocked expressions on their faces.

Naomi was astonished as she flexed her fingers. "I-I'm animated?" She blinked as Tiki looked down at her fingers also.

"B-But..." Tiki looked down to the ground coming closer and closer. She struggle for breath. Her teeth started chattering. "Naomi...I think we'll be landing in just a few seconds..." Naomi looked over and blinked. She gulped also. This was weird.

Suddenly they both hit the stone-cold ground and blacked out...

"Ohh....my aching butt...I think I broke my tail bone.." Tiki groaned as she rolled over onto her back. "Those stupid FUZZ cops.." She sighed and sat up. "Naomi?" She asked with her eyes still tightly closed. 

Naomi groaned, "Wha?" She asked annoyed. "If your asking what hurts, every dang inch hurts on me. My legs, my thighs, my butt, my feet, my back, my head especially, and my jaw. It pops now..." She moved her jaw, hearing the popping noise that came from it. "And my-" She pointed to her chest when Tiki threw a shoe at her.

"I didn't need to know that much!" Tiki yelled back at her and sat up. "Where's my shoe?" She shot as Naomi threw it back to her, hitting her in the face. "Ow..."

"Well, you asked what hurt, didn't you?" She asked and sat up. They were on the ground with people all around watching them. The two duelists were the closest, and had a quizzled look on their faces. "Hi!" She greeted shortly and stood up.

"Who you saying 'Hi' to?" Tiki asked as she looked around. "Oh..." She noticed and stood up. "W-Where are we?" She asked anonymously, pulling down on her shirt.

Joey motioned to the sky and then slammed his fists to the ground, as if they hit like a brick. Then he pointed to his throat and then pointed at the two girls. "H-How?" He asked. Clearly, he had a loss of words.

"Ummm..." Naomi scratched her chin and looked to the ground. She had no words to explain. Sure, she could tell them that they were from another dimension and all, but their reaction would be crazy. She shrugged and smiled. Then she pointed upward and shrugged again. "Skydiving?" She laughed innocently as Tiki walked over and touched Joey.

"He's real!" She exclaimed and jumped on top of him, smothering him in hugs and kisses. "Ohh! Hallelujah! I wanna hug you and kiss you and squeeze you till the day I die!" Tiki snuggled up to hi closer.

"Get her offa me!!!" Joey screamed as Naomi slapped her hand on her face, knocking herself dizzy. "Ow...that wasn't so smart..." She groaned and turned around. There, right in front of her was not Yugi, but Yami. "Hi again?" She shortly laughed and backed away. He looked rather disturbed at the girls entrances and didn't believe 'Skydiving' was the case. But he decided not to question right now, he was a little scared of the blonde headed girl, and if she would do the same thing to him, like her friend was doing to Joey...

"Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey!!!" Tiki squealed as Joey tried to push Tiki down his left leg. Apparently, Joey had managed to get Tiki off of him, but she jumped right back and aimed for his leg. And now, she wouldn't let go.

"Get this girl offa me!!" Joey yelled again as Naomi came to the rescue, followed by Yami. "Please! She's squeezin' off da circulation!"

Naomi kneeled down to Tiki and attempted to pry her off. It just made Tiki's grip tighter. She attempted to tickle her to get her off. That didn't work either. So finally, she and Yami managed to strip her off by Joey undoing his pants and sliding his leg out.

Tiki sat there with Joey's jeans in her grip as he yanked them away. Her face fell, "Dang...did I just do that?" Tiki asked the trio as they all nodded. "Oops..." She managed to get out before Joey gave her a death glare. "Umm...Nice boxers?" She complemented. pointing to the red and white briefs. She started to laugh the I-Am-In-So-Much-Trouble laugh and scooted away.

Joey blushed at the complement, and then put back on his pants, not wanting to flash everyone with his boxers, grumbling in the process. He stared hatefully at her, "If ya come twelve feet distance from me, I will take ya down." He threatened as Naomi stepped between him and Tiki.

"And if you lay a finger on Tiki. I will bring you down, bring you down to china town." She threatened back as she grabbed Tiki's wrist and dragged her away. "Oh and by the way, thanks for at least stopping the duel, oh and Yugi, or whoever you are, your gonna win." She gave a small smile and a thumbs up, then started to walk away.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Naomi?" Tiki asked as Naomi looked at her.

"Yo." She replied. She tied her bandana back onto her head and looked at the awestricken Tiki. "What?" She asked waving her hand in front of her face. Tiki pointed to a limo with a guy getting into it. It was none other than Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corp. "Oh..." Naomi replied as the limo drove away. "Well, at least we are sightseeing!" She said to try and brighten thing up, it didn't work.

"How about let's just shut up and walk...." Tiki gave her a death glare as they walked further on.

"Okay...but I feel this ain't goin' no where..." Naomi sighed and shoved her hands into her pocket. Looking up at the blue sky from which they fell, and this was only the start of their nightmare...

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To Be Continued...

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R&R!!


	2. Let's Stick Together Parent Trap Style

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A/N: Okay, Hey again! Back for another chapter I see. I redid this chapter a bit, I added a song and such, to make it more of an adventure. Hope ya like it! Enjoy!

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Jump

We're All In The Same Boat, So Why Not Stick Together?

Naomi turned back and sighed. She didn't know where in the world she was, if this was the world she new. But she highly doubted that. This was the world of her favorite show, and that was all. But wasn't the show just a bunch of fiction? How is this real?

Tiki turned back towards her friend, "What are you staring at Naomi? There ain't nuttin' back there, with the excepting of two cartoon characters." She laughed slightly and started walking again.

Naomi shrugged and kept walking. "Yeah Tik, your right. Besides nothing like that would happen to us! We're just a couple of nutcases ya know!" She giggled and skipped ahead. "But if we are in the Yu-Gi-Oh World...." A huge smile leaked across her face.

Tiki saw this and grinned evilly. She rubbed her hands together and hunched over. "Your right...hehehehe...we could really do some damage and wreak habit on this quiet city of Domino...MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!" She laughed as the passer-byers stared at the two girls and sped up there walk. This was gonna be fun!

**__**

Look out new world here we come   
Brave, intrepid and then some   
Pioneers of maximum   
Audacity whose résumés  
Show that we are just the team   
To live where others merely dream   
Building up a head of steam   
On the trail we blaze   


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Naomi laughed and slung her arm over her best friend's shoulder. "And maybe, just maybe we might actually have an adventure of our own!" She realized. "Tik! This could be a dream-come-true! Just like in our stories! We could **BE** our characters here for real!" She jumped up and down as her friend nodded excitedly.

**__**

Changing legend into fact   
We shall ride into history   
Turning myth into truth   
We shall surely gaze   
On the sweet unfolding   
Of an antique mystery   
All will be revealed   
On the trail we blaze   


"Yeah! We can start a new life here. A life that can go our way! Not being picked on by preps. We can make better people out of ourselves! Like, we could be someone we could never be in our lame world!" Tiki jumped up and down as they turned into an alleyway.

**__**

Paradise is close at hand   
Shangri-la the promised land   
Seventh heaven on demand   
Quite unusual nowadays   
Virgin vistas, undefiled   
Minds and bodies running wild   
In the man behold the child   
On the trail we blaze   


Naomi face suddenly turned cold, "But what about our parents in the other world? Wouldn't they be missing us?" She asked as Tiki's face fell also.

**__**

The trail we blaze   
Is a road uncharted   
Through terra incognita to a golden shrine   
No place for the traveler   
To be faint-hearted   
We are part of the sumptuous grand design   


"Your right. But how are we suppose to get back? By the way the two guys acted, this ain't no 4Kids production with the goody-goody two-shoes characters. This is real." Tiki sighed and sank down to the ground. "Just when we were on the top of the world, we fall flat on our faces." She laughed elegantly.

**__**

Changing legend into fact   
We shall ride into history   
Turning myth into truth   
We shall surely gaze on the sweet unfolding   
Of an antique mystery   
All will be revealed   
On the trail we blaze   
On the trail we blaze...  


A voice interrupted. "I know what you mean...I I miss my folks too..." A boy with short dark blue hair appeared around the alleyway corner. "In our rightful world, we are considered by the police officers missing, perhaps even dead. Because we disappeared from sight and sound..." He trailed off looking at them with his mesmeric deep blue eyes.

Tiki gasped, "What?! Dead? They think we are dead?! I might have a funeral when I am still alive and my parents don't even know it?!" She panicked and realized hi statement. "Wait, we?" She asked as the boy nodded/

"Yes, we. I am in the same boat as you. And I can't tell you if they think we are dead." He spoke shrugging and leaning against the wall.

Naomi bit her lip. "So your saying we were whipped out of existence there?" She asked as Tiki stared at the boy. She was lost in her head, and there was no returning.

The boy chuckled, "Not quite. No, were just here now. But I don't know all the circumstances. Mind you, I'm a victim in this too..." He looked up to the blue sky. 

Naomi looked at him, "This is feeling more like The Twilight Zone than the Yu-Gi-Oh World now..." She sighed and stood up. "Well, we'll just have to make the best of it until we figure this out!" She said cheerfully as the others sweat-dropped. "Hey! I didn't know we could do that!" She yelled, pointing to the two.

The boy rolled his eyes and rubbed the back of his head. "Does the word '**_Anime_**' mean anything to you?" He asked sarcastically.

Naomi thought for a second and snapped her fingers, "Ya! Japanese Animation of course! Like Gundam Wing, and G-Gundam, and Zoids, and the hideous Pokemon, and Sailor Moon, and Rouni Kenshen, and Yu Yu Hakusho, and the utterly disguising DragonBall Z, and-" She kept on naming the Anime she knew and loved. "Tri-Gun, and KiKaider, and..." She stopped and tapped her foot on the ground. "Now I know I forgot one...." She paused, then shouted, "**_INUYASHA!!_**" With that, they two other teens sweat-dropped again.

Tiki slowly stood up and rubbed the back of her head, cursing in Spanish. She had learned it from a vacation she and her family took to Mexico. Then she looked at the blue haired boy, ignoring Naomi. "What's your name?" She asked as the boy looked back at her surprised.

He tensed up, "Well, m-my name is-is Jaken actually....really peculiar in my opinion." He stuttered softly.

Naomi walked over, "Jaken aye? Not a bad name, but why don't we just call ya Jake." She held out her hand and the boy excepted it. 

"Why don't you stick with us Jake? We're all in the same sinking boat, so why don't we all just go down together?" Tiki asked as Jake laughed at this.

"Well...I don't know if I would be caught dead on a sinking boat. But we could patch up the leaks and sail to a tropical paradise together." He raise his eyebrow as Tiki's and Naomi's jaw dropped.

"What?!?" They asked, yelling in unison. 

"Are you trying to ask us on a date or something?" Asked Tiki enraged. "Cause I don't do dates! I hate dates!" She yelled as Jake whimpered in fear.

Naomi laughed and stepped up on Jake's back. "Girls will rule this world one day! But right now, it is about conquering one pervert at a time!" She stated, laughing as Jake stood up, flipping Naomi to the cold ground. "Ow!"

"Your dead wrong, men are suppose to rule this and all other worlds!" He laughed as Tiki tackled him and pinned him to the ground.

"Not in my lifetime pal! I will never bow to an unworthy king!" She stated as Jake laid there, laughing.

"All right, if you have good cooking I'll tag along, but I'm suppose to be the one asking you that! Cause that is what men do, they ask ladies, not the other way around. Besides, I was here first!" He proclaimed as Tiki got up off of him and flipped her hair to one side.

"Yeah, well, Naomi can cook and we are not ladies thank you very much. We no prep. We hate dresses and skirts off all kind. Call us Weirdoes." She winked and leaned against the wall.

Naomi chimed in, "Yeah! Because everyone is somebody else's weirdo!" She stated as Jake smiled and shook his head.

"What did I get myself into..." He sighed and there was a long moment of silence.

Naomi waited for about a minute or so. She couldn't stand the stillness and quietness of both of them. "So...um...." Her stomach growled as she blushed. She tapped her foot and waited for a second as everyone just looked at each other. "Is anyone hungry?!" She asked finally breaking the silence as the two others bit the dust again.

__

After they had gotten a bite to eat from a fast food place. It was all they could afford at the moment. All their change, gone with one bite of a BigMac. Tiki was furious as Naomi enjoyed watching Jake gulf down his food, and their food too. They decided to walk down to the pier(harbor) to take in the beautiful ocean.

They passed Skyscrapers that seemed to actually scrape the sky, and they passed an all to familiar game shop where the Motous lived. They walked in for a moment to look at all the cards.

"Wow! I've never seem so many cards in one place before! Except for the internet, and at tournaments, but that's a different story. Look at all these cards!" Jake exclaimed, marveling at all the cards.

Naomi turned to face him. "Guess you didn't get around much at home, did ya?" She asked searching though her pockets for any extra change she might have to buy some, no luck.

Jake shook his head. "No, I live about fifty miles from the nearest town, so I don't get out that often. But I always seem to make it for the really big tournaments though. Say, where do you live?" He asked Naomi and Tiki.

Tiki turned around to look at him. "America the beautiful." She stated plainly as Jaken rolled his eyes.

"I know that. But what state and city. By the look of your hands, you must be city folks." He acquired as the girls blushed.

Naomi looked at her soft white hand. "Do you think you could read palms too while your at it country boy?" She asked sarcastically.

"Well, do you live in the city?" Jake asked, leaning against the counter.

Naomi glared at him, "Yes I did. New York City one time, but now I live in Lexington, South Carolina." She stated as Jake whistled. 

"Really now, my grandpa lives in Lexington, South Carolina. And I live about fifty miles into the booneys from there." He stated as the girls mouths dropped.

Naomi turned to him, "Really? Well-" Then a small voice interrupted her on accident.

"My Grandpa isn't here right now, but I can help y-" Yugi came into the shop and stood there looking at the trio. "Oh, hi." He greeted, recognizing the two girls that fell from the sky. He backed away with Yami reminding him that the Jamaican was the one that grabbed Joey's leg. "May I help you?" He asked quietly as the trio just stood there.

Jake looked at the two girls._ Don't tell me, they have already gotten into trouble with him and his friends? What have I gotten myself into. I have to put up with fan girls...why me?_ He thought, asking himself. "No we're just fine thank you. Just looking around the shop at all the cards." He replied as Yugi nodded.

"Well, if you need me, just say so." He said and disappeared around the corner again.

Naomi and Tiki looked at each other, then looked at Jake. "How, What, When Where?" They asked in unison as Jake shook his head.

"Come on, let's get going." He motioned to the front door and they left.

~~~

Naomi ran up to the peer and breathed in the fresh air. The sun was setting in the west, giving the harbor an orange glow that sparkled brilliantly. Tiki walked up beside her, as did Jake.

"This peer looks awfully familiar.." Tiki acquired, looking at the open square in the middle of the dock and the iron rails that hung above them. Then it hit. Tiki jumped and grabbed Naomi's arm. "This is the place where Joey and Yugi had their death match!" She realized and jumped up and down, causing Naomi to lose her footing.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Was all she could say before she fell into the cool water, dragging along Tiki and Jake.

"Naomi!!!" Tiki yelled as Naomi grabbed her braids.

"Dang it!!!" Jake screamed out as Tiki grabbed his shirt and pulled him into the water as well.

Jake was the first to resurface. "Stupid, idiotic girls!" He mumbled to himself while swimming back to the dock. "My clothes! There soaked!"

Naomi emerged from the water. "Well, you know it's Tiki's fault." She tried to blame as Tiki resurfaced. 

"I don't think so Naomi. You were the one that lost your balance!" She accused, splashing water on Naomi and dunking her back down. 

Jake climbed out of the water, shaking his head as water droplets flew everywhere. He sat on the edge, waiting for Tiki to resurface. She did and Jake helped her up.

"Let's leave her down there." Jake suggested as Tiki nodded.

"Yeah, let's, she deserves some time to wade..." She giggled slightly and they walked away as Naomi resurfaced.

She looked around, "Guys, guys!" She called, not seeing anyone in sight. "Where are you?!" She asked, yelling at the top of her lungs. She swam to the dock and tried to get up. The dock was too high to reach. "Come on guys! This isn't funny now!" She screamed, getting paranoid. The water was cold and she was starting to get exhausted, trying to fight the flow of the undercurrent.

Suddenly something caught her ankle and she was pulled under by a tremendous force. "Help!!!" She screamed as she was dragged into the murky depths of the bay.

Blue was swirling around her, darker and darker it grew. Ever swirling, ever darkening. Soon, no light leaked through and her head was getting dizzier and dizzier. Her hands started to go numb as the last of the air left her and she was totally submerged under the blue abyss...Was this the end of her? What had caught her? Was anyone going to save her? Naomi sure hoped so. She closed her eyes and fell into unconsciousness, not knowing if she would wake again...

****

To be Continued...

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R&R!!


	3. Weird Shadow Equals Abolutely Nothing

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A/N: **This one's a bit shorter than the rest but has a lot of key facts to it. Hope you enjoy this one, and too all of the previous reviewers, the guy on the sand I changed to a girl and she tells some information, so I would look into that if I were you. Anyway, on with the show!**

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Jump

The Shadows Speak of Truth

Naomi closed her eyes and then reopened them to find the sun beating down on her. It was so hot and dry here. She sat up to find she was sitting on sand in the middle of a desert.

"Where in the seven seas am I?" She asked herself, standing up and brushing the sand from her pants. "Cause this ain't what I call a four star hotel. Nor anywhere near heaven..." She squinted her eyes and looked around. "Where am I...?" She repeated as a voice came out of no where and spoke.

"On a desert." It said plainly as Naomi spun in all directions.

"I know that nitwit!" She yelled sarcastically as the desert faded into a sandy beach. "Oh! Oh! The beach! I love the beach!!" She screamed and ran to the waters edge.

"Now you are on a beach." It said plainly as the location shifted again to a jungle. "Now you are in the Congo." Finally it shifted again to a black desert.

A black figure appeared in front of her. It looked to be a girl in her mid teens, but all of her features were black, as black as shadows in the corners. "Now you are in the deepest crevices of your mind. Where either nightmares or great dreams of imagination take place." She stated, bending down and grabbing a handful of black sand. "This is also what the black deserts of the Darkness Realm look like." The sand slid through her fingers.

Naomi looked at he sand around her. "What do you mean?"

The girl looked at her. "I mean that you should prepare for this. Isolation and seclusion surrounding you eternally. Screams encircling you forever and ever. No friends, no family, no future. Just a wandering soul."

Naomi laughed at this. "Your talking nonsense. My friends will always be there for me and always will, no say about it. Tiki and Jake will never let me down, nor ever be separated from me. I can guarantee that. Stop talking nonsense." She waved off.

The figure nodded, "You have a strong faith in your friends Naomi, but do your friends have enough faith in you. Will they ever seek revenge and alter the route of fate? Or will the believe in the others around them and cheer them on, not taking the whole world on their own shoulders? Do you guarantee that?" She asked as Naomi looked at her befuddled.

"What do you mean?" Naomi asked, twirling her hair nervously. Her friends getting revenge for her? Why?

The figure turned to leave, "You will learn soon enough Naomi, but now, you have to protect those who are dearest to you. If you fail, they will fail in return." The figure said and disappeared into the blackness.

Naomi stood there with her hand over her heart as a light shown down from above and a voice started calling to her. She looked up and everything whited out.

~~~

"Naomi! Naomi!" Tiki shook her as Jake splashed ice cold water on her. But it was more or less pure ice. Naomi's eyes snapped open, her breath was staggered, but she was okay.

Naomi shook the ice cold water off of her and peered at Jake, who had thrown a whole bucket of ice on her. "Do you think you could have put in a little less **ICE!!**" She yelled, complaining as Jake backed away and dropped the bucket.

"Sorry Naomi, we couldn't get you to wake up..." He commented as it struck Naomi.

"How did I get back up...the last thing I remember was drowning.." She scratched her head and looked up. "And that 'haunting' black dude that wanted me to commit suicide..." Her friends looked at her in question as she repeated. "Who saved me?"

"I did young lady!" Exclaimed a happy, cheerful voice that belonged to none other than Mako Tsunami. "I saw you go under, so I quickly jumped in to help. Your foot was caught in seaweed, so I cut it and swam you back up!" He laughed hardily Naomi smile.

"Thank you Mako." She nodded and looked at her friends hatefully. "And where were ya'll when I resurfaced the first time? I called and called and you did come!" She yelled at them both and slapped Jake on the face. "How dare you!"

Tiki rubbed the back of her head, "Well...we were playing a funny-" She looked at the enraged teen and decided to change her words, "-Foolish game..." She cleared her throat as Naomi scrunched her fist and let it fly.

Tiki fell back, rubbing her left cheek, as did Jake. "Okay...I deserved that." Tiki stated plainly as Naomi squeezed the water out of her shirt onto her. "Now I did not deserve that!" She hopped up and pointed a finger at Naomi.

Naomi smiled, tipped an imaginary hat to Mako and ran off like a speeding bullet with Tiki and Jake close on her tail, yelling and throwing funny insults at her.

Mako looked strangely at the fleeing trio and shook his head. "Lunatics....Crazy Lunatics...." Was all that could describe them as he sat down on the pier and started to fish.

~~~~

The next morning, Tiki was actually walking to school with Naomi and Jake. It was a hot and humid morning with the sun shining on you never-ending shouting, "Burn Baby, Burn!" In a sing-song voice.

"I can't believe this!" Tiki complained. "I mean we just got here yesterday and we stayed at a hotel and now we have no money and no place to stay! Not to mention Jake said we had to go to school!" She sighed and folded her hands behind her head.

Naomi laughed and rolled her eyes, "Well, at least we'll get our education! Right Jake?" She asked as he nodded.

"Yeah, I guess. But right now I'd say today will be one that will not easily be forgotten..." He sighed and stuffed his right hand in his pocket as he gripped tighter to a briefcase he was caring in the left.

Naomi laughed again and tugged down her skirt as a guy passed and looked down at her legs. She was wearing the Domino High Girls Uniform and didn't like it one bit. "But the guys here are such perverts though...It feels like every guy is looking up my skirt! Or at my legs to say the least!" She complained, red in the face, as she whacked a guy passing her that had glanced down at her legs, with her briefcase.

Tiki pulled hers down too. "I know what you mean..." She whispered in her ear as Jake decided to speak his mind, which wasn't a good idea, seeing he was a boy...

"Well," He stated, "You do have nice legs-" The two girls whammed him over with their briefcases and walked ahead, their hips swinging back and forth, back and forth. 

He was beginning to drool. "Hatcha!" He grinned dazedly as Naomi looked back and threw her shoe at him, which hit him smack in the face, leaving a red mark and bowling him over at the same time. 

"Pervert!" She hissed back and threw him the bird.

Jake slowly stood up and spit the dirt out of his mouth. "I should learn better pick-up lines..." He muttered, spitting some more dirt out and finally catching up with the girls, but made sure to stay firing distance away.

**__**

~~~

The trio walk into the school as Naomi whistled and looked around. Tiki started to wander though the halls as Jake tried to keep the small group together, which was very hard I might say, with one girl going this way and another going that, and his eyes wandering to the skirts of girls. They all walked together down the hall and took in all of the sights to see.

Naomi smiled, "I didn't think school was going to be this much exciting!" She giggled softly as most of the students stared at the newcomers with question.

"Yeah, but don't get too excited!" Jake warned as they entered the principles office. He gave them their schedule, and reluctantly, Tiki and Naomi had the same teachers, as Jake had much higher courses, of course.

Naomi looked at his teachers, "How smart **are** you actually?" She asked with an eyebrow raised as he laughed slightly and blushed. "Either I'm very dumb, or your very smart. But I think it is the former. Cause you can't be no genius." She fired her imaginary finger gun at him. "Bang."

"Well, not that much smarter and-" He was interrupted by the first bell. The girls ran off to there classes, giggling as hose type of girl always do, as Jake stood there puzzled. His expression fell to a small smile. He sighed, "Just when I'm about to try a new pick-up line...the bell rings..." He shook his head, "Why do I always have bad timing? Just when I was about to get a girl..." He chuckled and slid off to class.

"This way!" Tiki pointed down one hallway as Naomi dragged her down the other.

"No! This way Jamaican!" Naomi pointed, pulling her friend into the other hallway. They struggled to go there way to the same class for about a minute, until the warning bell rang. They stopped instantly and looked at each other. They started to hear faint footsteps and turned around to see who was running.

"Oh no..." They rang in unison as two very familiar faces appeared racing towards them from around a corner. The two girls closed their eyes as the boys walked up to them.

"Hey Yug, aren't toes the loons dat fell from the sky yesterday? And grabbed onto my leg? I'd thought day be long gone by now!" He said pointing to the two girls as they smiled sheepishly and backed away.

Tiki held up a finger and slowly smiled, "Thank you for putting so bluntly and I am deeply sorry about that. You won't believe us even if we told you the truth. And...." She stopped and looked at Naomi as she sighed and walked up to the two boys.

She rolled her eyes and shoved the list with all the courses into Joey's face. "Would you happen to know where these classes are? We are nutheads and are utterly confused here." There was a pause as Tiki stepped up.

"Hello?!" She practically screamed, "Girls in need here! Do. You. Know. Where. These. Classes. Are?" She asked slowly so the words could sink in.

Joey grabbed the paper and looked at the girls. "We have the same teachers, so just follow us around. We'll show you the place. **But** please don't grab onto my leg like dat again! I still have red marks from were you stuck toes fingers of yours into my leg!" He complained, pointing to her long fingernails. He sighed and scratched the back of his head, "Ah, don't worry bout it." He folded the paper up and handed it back to Naomi. "But could ya tell us what was up yesterday? And why ya'll are at our school?" He asked as the girls quietly agreed.

"But it's not like you'll believe us anyhow...Jake would need to explain things.." Naomi muttered following the two boys.

~~~ 

During break, Tiki and Naomi were talking in the corner of the room. Naomi sat on the desk top and Tiki sat in the desk itself.

"So.." Naomi sighed. " Do you know how to convince them?" She asked, twirling a pencil around on her fingers. 

Tiki looked at her utterly pissed. "No I don't Sherlock. But I'm a' thinking though. Maybe you should stop twirling that pencil and start racking your brain too." She huffed and crossed her arms and legs. "I mean, Jake. Shoot, he'd be utterly pissed right now if he knew we made a bargain to tell them who we are, in exchange, they'd show us around the school..." She sighed and got up. She smiled, "But that is his problem now, ain't it?" She asked as Naomi shook her head.

"Sorry Tiki, we have to tell this story. We have to step up sometime and not cower behind Jake ya know..." She hopped of the desk and walked over to where Joey and Yugi were dueling. She slowly strolled over as Tea stopped her.

"Wait a second there, Joey needs to concentrate." She laughed slightly as to say it was a joke. Naomi looked at Joey who was concentrating really hard at the moment, his eyebrows furrowed. She smiled and turned around to get a piece of ice from her lunch box.

It was cold and wet. The perfect thing to startle the living daylights out of the poor guy. "Sorry Joey, but I can't stand someone putting that much concentration into a card game...." She whispered to herself.

She slowly snuck up behind him, with everyone watching her and the teacher no where in sight. Naomi slowly pulled out his back collar and dropped the piece of ice into his shirt.

"IIIIYYYYEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!" Joey jumped up and screamed bloody murder as Naomi ran to the other side of the classroom and started to have a laughing fit. Cards fluttered down as Joey ran around the room, screaming and hollering.

That poor Joey....He must have ran around the classroom from pure shock for a good ten minutes or so until the ice fell to the floor. Bowling over chairs and desks in the process. He sank down in his chair and started to go into shock as Naomi walked up, still in laughing hysterically, and patted him on the head.

"Sorry about that..." She managed to get in-between laugher. "But you were concentrating so hard, it was an opportunity I just couldn't pass up!" Naomi slinked away laughing as Tiki came up and hit her on the head.

"Ow..." She moaned as Tiki glared at her.

"You've got to resist the temptation Naomi!" She waved her arms about. "I mean, I know you just love being the 'Class Clown' and everything, but ya gotta stop. Joey could have been seriously hurt!" Tiki told off as Naomi smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry Tik, but it was an offer that was not that easy to decline..." She reasoned as Tiki slapped her across the head again. "Ow.."

"But still..." She said crossing her arms as Joey and his friends walked up to share a piece of their mind. She looked at them and patted Naomi's back. "Me friend, that **was** funny though...But you just got caught in the middle of a war zone." She patted Naomi's back harder, pointing to a very mad Joey stampeding towards her. "Just resist next time.." And with that, the teacher came back in and they started class again.

****

To Be Continued...

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R&R!!


	4. Pull Chains and Torture Guides

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A/N: Hey everyone again! How are y'all? I'm doing pretty well thank ya. Nothing really that much to be said about this chapter at all. But there is part that I think is pretty funny and OH NO!! Another person is coming! Hehe...

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Jump

Pull Chains and Torture Guides

Tiki and Naomi were outside during lunch break, waiting for Joey and Yugi to show up. They made their way towards a huge oak tree and decided it was casting some shade, so why not get out of the torturous sun, who was still singing, "Burn Baby, Burn!"

Tiki sighed and slid down the trunk of the tree and fell to the ground. "What are we gonna tell them?" She asked as Naomi shrugged.

"I don't know. But whatever we do, let's not try and get on their nerves.." She laughed, remembering the ice incident and the pissed Joey who glared at her all class long.

"Look who's talking.." Tiki laughed as the two boys came walking out of the school towards them. And along for the enjoyment of embracement came Ryou, Duke, Tristan, and Tea.

"Oh joy... All we need now is Jake.." Naomi rolled her eyes and set her briefcase down on the ground as and looked back to the doors of the school. There, coming out of the school was Jake, and he seemed to be heading in their direction also. He sped up his walk and ran to them.

"I heard what ya'll are gonna do!" He silently yelled at them. "Why are you doing a crazy idea like this?!" He practically yelled as the others reached their destination.

"All right girls, explain." Joey demanded as Jake's jaw dropped. "Tell us everything and how you know us so darn well! It is really freakin' us out."

Jake sighed and started to bang his head against the tree muttering, "I am not here. I am not taking any part in this explanation. I am just a normal guy from another **DIMENSION!**" He slowly yelled as everyone else looked at him in question.

Naomi patted his back and smiled at the others, "He just got out of the insane asylum yesterday, and he hasn't been the same since..." She told them as Jake made a growl at her and attempted to bite off her hand. She pulled it away quickly and hopped back.

"Shut up Hippie!" He growled and sank down to the ground. He turned around so his back was against the trunk and closed his eyes. "Go ahead Naomi, tell them **EVERYTHING**. From our world to the blue swirling abyss that we passed through." He laughed, "Oh, and don't forget to add personal detail. That is the key to telling a story." He opened his eyes again and looked at her. "Well?" He asked as Naomi took a deep breath and turned back to the group.

"Okay..." She paused. "You kept your end of the bargain, and now it's our turn.." She gulped and started to twirl her hair. She looked to the ground and sighed, "You won't believe us, and frankly I don't either anymore-"

"Well then, isn't this just a waste of time?" Asked Duke with his eyebrow raised. "Now you will either spill it, or we'll torcher it our of you." A smile leaked across his face, everyone knew he was starting to flirt.

Naomi rolled her eyes and laughed. "Alrighty then, if you want to know, I'll use you for a guinea pig Duke." She pointed to Duke and smiled. "And I have the best way to too!"

"Then how?" Tiki asked as she looked into Naomi's eyes. She read her expression and began to shake her head. "I know what you are thinking and **no.** I won't ruin my reputation like that."

"Then I will.." Naomi turned back to the group again. "Duke Devilin, right?" She asked knowingly as he nodded. "You invented the game Dungeon Dice Monsters, or Dragon Dice Monsters depending on which version of Yu-Gi-Oh! you go by. Before Duelist Kingdom, you asked Pegasus to...sponsor the game and help it go global?" She asked as Duke looked stunned. "Both you and that white-haired dude played the game and he loved it. Right? Am I hot so far?" She asked as he nodded dumbfoundedly. "Then Duelist Kingdom started and Yugi beat Pegasus, right? Then you didn't hear from that mullethead for sometime after words. So you decided Yugi cheated and blah-blah blah. The rest is going into the five part episode of the game and, oh yeah...you made Joey dress up in that ridiculous dog costume when he lost a duel to you. Then after and exhilarating game between you and Yugi, who didn't know how to play, he summoned the Dark Magician and won. Right?" She asked again as he nodded, still aw-struck. "And you made up, got your thoughts straightened and whala! Friendship galore, right? " She asked the last time as he just stood there.

"H-How did you know all of that, do you-?" He slowly stuttered out, awe-stricken.

"No I do not have ESP. Do you get what I'm saying now?" She asked as everyone shook their heads, no. She sighed, "It's not that hard to understand people!!! You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that we are not from this **DIMENSION!**" She screamed as everyone backed away.

"I believe you **are** nuts.." Joey muttered as they began to walk away.

Naomi took up her suitcase and opened it. She had another idea...There was a pack of Duel Monster cards in it and she opened the package and looked at the logo on the bottom. Sure enough, it said 'Yu-Gi-Oh' 

__

Well... this is amusing... Chuckled Bakura as he took control of the body.

Naomi looked at it and then looked at Jake. She poked him on the shoulder hard. He flinched and looked at her.

"What do you want now Hippie?" He asked, looking as mad as ever.

Naomi shoved one card into his face. "I'm just wondering. Is there just four Blue Eyes in this world? Just to make sure and all?" She asked as Jake nodded and stood up. He brushed himself off and reached into his pocket. He pulled out his deck and shuffled though it.

"Yeah. Did you think of that idea, or did someone help you?" He jokingly laughed and elbowed her in the ribs. "Good job." He whispered and walked out to the group. He stuffed his deck back into his pocket, but kept his three Blue Eyes White Dragons out. "Wait! We have one more idea."

"What? Are you gonna try and convenience us again that you are from another dimension?" Tristan laughed as Jake sighed and nodded.

"Yup." He stated and fanned out his three cards. "You better hold your breath and don't be fooled." He flipped the three cards over and everyone gasped at the sight.

"T-Those are-" Joey as interrupted by Naomi.

"Three Blue Eyes. And they are the real thing." Naomi walked up to them and showed them her one hundred dollar God Cards. "I **our** world, there is no such thing as a rare card. Just cards that are very expensive and banned from tournaments. This bebe cost one hundred American dollars. Slyther the Sky Dragon. I also have the other two if you want me to show them to you." She smiled as Tiki came up.

She sighed and crossed her arms. "In our world, the game is big, but not huge and all...they are still getting out of the revolting show, Pokemon..." She made a face and brought out the box of a Duel Monsters game cartridge. But we also have Duel Monster games for GameBoy Advanced and such. I have no real cards like these card obsessed people to my right. No offense. But I do have all the games and mangas though..." She laughed slightly as the group started to realize that they were telling the truth.

Joey took the God card from Naomi's hand and examined it closely. It was the real deal. No cheap phony crap, this card was real. "We believe...But I've never seen anyting like dis card before...have you Yugi?" He asked, handing the card to Yugi.

"No..." He stated as Naomi's eyes widened.

"What?" She took the card back. "H-Has Battle City started yet?" She asked growing more concerned that she let a huge chapter in their book slip.

"Battle what?" Asked Joey dumbfoundedly, looking at the trio.

Yugi and Tea looked at their friends. "It is a new tournament that Kaiba is hosting," Yugi explained. "We were gonna tell you when school got out, but why not now." He explained everything as his friends looked amazed.

"How do you know about it? Did you get an invitation?" Asked Tea, suspiciously.

Naomi opened her mouth as Tiki closed it quickly. "Oh, no...we know absolutely nothing about the future!" She said innocently as the group looked suspiciously at them.

Jake walked up and whispered to the two girls, "We're screwed." He put it bluntly. The two girls glared at him hatefully as Tiki threw the bird. Naomi cleared her throat and looked back to the group, her eyebrow twitching like mad and a huge cheesy smile plastered onto her face.

"Forget it! It was nothing!" Naomi tried to cover up as Yugi stepped forward.

"You know what's gonna happen in the future, don't you?" He asked suspiciously as the trio gulped and nodded slowly. They shifted their eyes to the ground and rocked back and forth, back and forth.

"Yep..." They whispered in unison.

_Really now....well...they could come in handy to me. If I would make a mistake in the future to be, they could tell me what to do instead of making the mistake..._ Bakura thought coldly. _Then my plan wouldn't fail!_ He chuckled softly and stepped forward.

"So mate," He said, copying Ryou's accent. "You know all the mistakes we'll make in the future and our destiny?" He asked with a slight grin of satisfactory as the trio nodded.

"Yup," Naomi said simply as Tiki stabbed her in the back with her fingernails.

"Shut up loud mouth!!" Tiki said as she slapped Naomi across the head. Naomi just slapped her back. Then Tiki slapped Naomi, then Naomi slapped Tiki, then Tiki slapped Naomi, then Naomi slapped Tiki, and so on until Duke interrupted their cat fight.

"So...how did ya'll get here anyhow?" Duke asked, changing the subject. Tiki looked at him as one more slap was accidentally dealt to the face. She spun around and held her cheek where Naomi dealt the blow. She was about to punch her one good time as something caught her eye to the left. A portal! A neon blue portal! She looked at it as her eyes grew wide with fear. She stumbled back and fell on her butt.

"THAT!!!" She shrieked as Naomi and Jake looked up to the sky. Their eyes widened with disbelief and horror as a figure was flung out of the blue swirling abyss in the sky and headed straight for the ground.

"How come things are just getting weirder?" Asked Tea non-enthusiastic. Everyone else shrugged.

"Do you here that?! He's screaming bloody murder!" Naomi yelled as the sound of faint yelling could be heard.

Jake listened hard as his face lightened up. "No..." He trailed off happily. "He's screaming 'Bonsai!'" He looked up happily. "That's my friend Kurt! He always says 'Bonsai'! Come on!" He yelled as he reached for Naomi's hand and grabbed it. But that just started a chain reaction...

Jake grabbed Naomi's hand. Naomi grabbed Tiki's braids. Tiki grabbed one of Yugi's blonde strips of hair. Yugi grabbed the back of Joey's jacket. Joey grabbed Duke's dice earring.(a/n: ouchy...) Duke grabbed Bakura's hair. And Bakura grabbed Tristan's collar and was choking him to death, and Tristan grabbed Tea's skirt.....(a/n: how rude!!)

"Jake! Let go!!"

"Come on! We gotta get to him!!"

"Mommy! Naomi! Let my braids go! It took me an hour to braid them this morning!!!"

"Live with it!"

"Hey! Not the hair Tiki!!!"

"Sorry! I know how it feeellllsss!!!"

"Yug! Lemme go!! I can't run backwards!!"

"Sorry Joey! I can't let go!!!"

"Not the dice! Never touch the dice!!!"

"Da dice can live wid it!"

"Let go of me you foolish mortal before I send you to the place of no freaking return!!!"

"**0.0**....Sorry Bakura!! What is one less strand of hair?!"

"Hey!! Let...Go...Of...Me....!!! Your...Choking...Me...To...Death...!!!!"

"Good riddance!!!"

"Tristan!! You pervert! Let go!!!"

"**X.X**.....Can't..."

Jake pulled them a mile or so like that until he turned into an alleyway and let go of Naomi. This started another chain reaction...

Jake let go of Naomi's hand. Naomi let go of the unraveled braid and the enraged Tiki. Tiki let go of Yami...

"Wait...Yami?" She looked into his mad, stern, dark crimson eyes as she started to laugh the I-Am-In-So-Much-Trouble laugh. She quickly folded her hands behind her head and backed away.

Yami let go of Joey's jacket. It was stretched and worn...but it wasn't torn though! Joey let go of Duke's earring, as seeing the hole of the earring had stretched a bit... Duke let go of a very mad Bakura's hair...well...the bunch of hair sort of fell out... And Bakura finally let go of the now purple Tristan. And Tristan let go of the highly embarrassed Tea, who unwillingly flashed every onlooker her underwear...

"Sorry Yami..." Tiki cleared her throat and backed away. She ran to hide behind Naomi as she looked back. Her eyes widened, seeing that everyone tagged, or was pulled along unwillingly.

"Well...this is interesting..." She gulped seeing the two enraged spirits. "And a death wish at the same time." She shook her head and tapped Jake on the shoulder. "Jake...the tour group wants to speak with you for a moment..." Naomi whispered into his ear.

Jake looked at her suspiciously. "What tour group?" Both girls pointed back to the highly pissed characters. There was a furious Yami, a confused Joey, a hurting Duke, a pissed Bakura, an almost dead Tristan, and a highly embarrassed and enraged Tea. "Oh..." Was all that could come out of his mouth.

"Yeah...Not to mention me and Tiki. My hand is red and Tiki's braid came unraveled." She laughed quietly. "But poor guys...they had the worst..." 

"Yeah..." Jake agreed, rubbing the back of his neck. Then he remembered Kurt and grabbed Naomi's hand again as the chain reaction started all over again...

"No! No! No!" Naomi demanded as she caught another one of Tiki's braids as Tiki caught one of Yami's blonde strips of hair. Yami, out of pain, grabbed the tail of Joey's jacket. Joey, out of idiocy, grabbed Duke's earring again. Duke, out of pain also, grabbed Bakura's hair. Bakura, our of shear shock, grabbed Tristan's collar again. And Tristan, out of pure befuddlement, grabbed Tea's skirt again...

"Not again!! Jake stop this now!!"

"Just a little ways away.."

"Naomi!! Let the freak go!!

"Shove it!!!"

"Tiki, I would suggest you let go of my hair...!!"

"Umm...Is that a threat Yami? Cause I am in the same friggin' boat as you!!"

"Sheesh! I said I can't run backwards!!"

"Then hop!!"

"No touchy! Never touch the dice Joseph Wheeler!!"

"Tell da 'dice' to knock it off!! And shuddup!!"

"Hands off mortal!! Before I kill you!!"

"**0.0**...Sorry!! But I can't!!"

"....Choking...Death...**X.X**"

****

"Tristan!! Unhand me **NOW**!!"

".....**_-_-_**...Does....Anyone...Care...About...My...Life...??!!"

"**_NO!_**" (a/n: everyone)

The odd group finally turned another corner and stopped. Jake let go of Naomi quickly and rushed to his friend, who landed in a trash dump. No surprise. 

Everyone let go. Naomi let go of Tiki's braid. Tiki let go of Yami's hair, apologizing dearly...for her life. Yami let go of a very confused Joey, since he had ran backwards all the way. Poor Joey. Joey let go of Duke's earring. It was bleeding by now. Duke let go of Bakura's hair, but that didn't save the strands that drifted to the ground. Bakura started to choke Duke for the hair loss. Bakura let go Tristan, who was blue in the face and near death. Poor Tristan. And Tristan finally let go of Tea's ripped skirt. Tea turned around and slapped Tristan silly.

"Do you think you could have pulled anything besides my skirt?!!" She yelled at him, slapping him on the head with her shoe.

"Sorry..." He gasped as he stood up rubbing the back of his neck.

Tiki and Naomi both looked at the pissed, hurt, and embarrassed characters. They swallowed hard and inched away. 

"Well...this will be very amusing." Naomi whispered into Tiki's ear.

Tiki laughed, "Oh, how I wish I had my video camera right now! I could've sent that moment to StupidVidoes.com...or Funny Videos. We would have won by a mile!" Naomi laughed with her as Jake pulled his friend out of the dumpster.

Naomi froze as she saw Jake's friend's face. "Oh no..." She gasped and backed away. She looked at Jake's friend. He had tanned skin and ear length brown hair with blonde highlights. Or in other words, a surfer dude. Naomi gasped, "It's the surfer dude that was in my class last year! He's nuts!..." She started to run the way they came as she plummeted into Yami. They both fell to the ground. Naomi fell onto of him.

Tiki slapped her forehead. "Klutz..." She sighed and ran over to help her friend up. "Nice one there Naomi...nice one." Naomi embarrassingly laughed as Tiki pulled her to her feet.

She rubbed the back of her neck. "S-Sorry bout that. I truly mean it-" Suddenly Jake's friend patted her on the shoulder. 

"Dude, your still as klutzy as ever man..." He shook his head, laying his hand on her shoulder, giving off the surfer accent.

Naomi picked his hand off of her shoulder and walked forward. "Get a life Kurt. And get my sex straight! I'm a girl moron, not a 'dude'. And further more, **I. AM. NOT. A. MAN**!" She huffed, walking father away.

****

To Be Continued...

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R&R!!


	5. Explain this Chillaxing

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A/N: Okay, this one is the longest yet! Yipee!! Let's see here...nothing new in this one hardly. I didn't bother to change anything and I am sure missing my skits on here...but anyway.(I didn't save the skits....-_-) Here we go!

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Jump

Explanations and Relaxations

"Dude, what do you have against me man? I mean girl?" He asked, correcting his speech in the process. He scratched his chin, "And where in the seven bloody seas am I?" He looked at the group standing in front of him. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Dude.... Cartoon characters man...Sweet..." Jake patted his shoulder and sighed.

"Yep," Jake agreed.

"Dude...." Kurt commented, poking Joey on the arm. "Dude..." He said again as Joey backed away, scared.

"Is dude all you can say?" Asked Naomi annoyed.

Kurt looked awkwardly at her, "Is she still mad at me for that beach incident with the sand?" He asked as Tiki nodded. "Dude..."

"Sand incident, what happened?" Asked Duke as Tiki scratched the back of her head.

"Well you see, Naomi was more or less sleeping in her room one night at the beach and Kurt came in and filled her shampoo bottles with some sand, but made sure to keep the shampoo in there. So when Naomi took a shower the next morning..." Tiki started to laugh, remembering the incident. "Let's just say she wound up picking sand up of her hair for the next month and-"

"And you can't forget about pool incident. Pouring blue dye into the neighbor's pool and making ME pay for it! I was on probation for a week while you and the rest of the band group went to Disney World without me!" Naomi yelled walking back up.

"Really?" Laughed Joey, not believing a word.

"Really!" Kurt, Tiki, and Naomi yelled in unison.

"We're good friends though, even though I did that...just didn't know she was a friend of Jakes...And dude," He realized. "And how did I get here? Jakey, do you know man?"(a/n: slow, aren't we?) He asked his friend as Jake sighed.

"Yes yes, all in good time Kurt." He said in a smart tone. "But I have to finish school right now, today. Is there any way you can wait somewhere without getting in major trouble with the ladies?" H asked as Kurt smiled.

"Dude, if there are some nice ladies around, they'd be all over me by now!" He joked as Naomi slapped him on the head.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!! AREN'T WE PRETTY LADIES??!!" Tea, Naomi, and Tiki asked, yelled into Kurt's face.

"Sorry dudetts..." He gulped and stepped back.

"I'll take him somewhere where he won't get in trouble and you and Tiki, somehow get us some money or a shelter to stay under, cause right now as it is. We're gonna be sleeping in the rain tonight. Since you girls had to go shopping last night!" He whispered into Naomi and Tiki's ear. He glared at them and dragged Kurt away.

Tiki and Naomi both looked rather surprised. "Yeah and you want us to die!?" They screamed in unison, pointing back to the still enraged characters.

"Right right." Jaken teased and disappeared around the corner.

Naomi stood there in shock, then remembered her briefcase that was still on the school grounds and school itself. Lunch must already be over. "Oh Crap!" She shrieked and grabbed Tiki's braids again as she pulled her back towards school.

"Ow ow ow!!!" Tiki screamed in agony. "What are you doing?!" She asked enraged.

"My cards! My cards! They are in my briefcase back on school grounds! Someone might have stolen them! And that is not good!" Naomi yelled back as they disappeared down the street.

"Well... Soon I will use those four to my advantage...." Chuckled Bakura as he let Ryou take charge again.

"What-What happened?" Ryou asked, as everyone looked at him in question.

Duke sighed while twirling his hair. "Those girls will be trouble." He said as everyone else agreed.

"Yes, but how did they get here? I mean, I know the sky, but..." Tea asked as everyone shrugged and started back to the high school, where Naomi and Tiki were rushing to. 

~*~

After school, the sun was still singing, "Burn Baby Burn!" As the two girls walked out of the school. They looked around for any sign of the characters, but they were no where to be seen.

"Hey Tik, where are they?" Naomi asked looking around at the stampeding students.

Tiki shrugged, "I don't know..." She glanced up to the top of the building and saw Joey. She tugged hard on Naomi's shirt. "There!" She pointed as they ran back into the school, getting trampled in the process.

They raced up the steps and opened the rooftop door. Sure enough, there was Yugi, Tristan, Joey, and Tea up there, discussing the Battle City tournaments. Joey was making the big fuss that Kaiba didn't invite him. Then he pulled out his Red Eyes Black Dragon and kissed it.

"Most disturbing..." The girls sighed and walked out. The group up there turned around and greeted them.

"Oh hi girls, watcha doing up here?" Yugi asked innocently. 

Naomi shrugged and leaned against the fence, which caved outward, allowing perverts to see her underpants. A guy whistled and looked up. Naomi quickly got off the fence and gave the guy the finger. He gave it back. Naomi glared hatefully at the guy.

"How about next time use more than one finger when waving at a girl idiot!!" She screamed as the guy ran. "Pervert..." She sneered and turned around to see everyone on their sides, laughing.

"Stupid!!" Tiki called, laughing frantically. She held her sides and stood up.

Naomi rolled her eyes, "Stupid is as Stupid does," She said southerly, mimicking Forest Gump. They all laughed as they finally pulled their act together.

"Hey girls," Tristan asked, "Do you really know what is going to happen in Battle City? Who is going to win and who is going to loose each game?" He asked curiously as Tiki shook her head.

"I don't," She replied as sighs could be heard. "But-"

Naomi interrupted her, "But I do..." She said timidly, getting enormous attention. "But if I tell, Battle City won't go as planned in the future." She said slowly as Joey snapped his fingers in frustration.

"Darn!" He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I dought you could tell us who wins da tournament." He sighed as Tiki shook her head.

"And what if someone tries to change what is already set? They could ruin the planned future and-" She held her breath as the characters looked at each other.

The Millennium Puzzle glowed and Yami came out. "Then the antagonists would get a chance to not make the same mistake that would bring down their downfall presumably..." He scratched his chin. "Your not safe here..." He admitted.

Naomi roller her eyes, "Naw, ya thunk? Even I couldn't figure that one out!" She said in a southern sarcastic tone as Joey stepped up.

"Well, what do we do `bout it ten?" He asked as the girls laughed.

"Well, um...we where thinking that you could help us anyway...we have no home or nothing here..." Naomi admitted as Tristan stepped up and took her hand.

"I'd be happy for you to stay at my place Naomi." He requested as Naomi yanked her and away.

"No way! Your already gonna have a girl-" Naomi said as Tiki stomped on her foot, sending Naomi into a world of hurt and pain. "Owwww!!" She howled and brought her foot up, holding in in her hands. This movement looked awkward and just plain not right...cause well...lets just say that the skirt was too short to be doing the Bunny-Hop-Hurting-Dance in. She showed her underwear to every pervert around. She noticed this and gently put her leg down, blushing.

"Well, we could probably arrange something!" Tea replied. "It could be one to a person and such!" She said cheerfully ask Naomi and Tiki looked at each other disgustedly.

Tiki cleared her throat, "Um...not trying to be bossy or anything...but in this small group, there are three guys and one girl." She pointed to Tea's group, " We have two girls one 'It' and one boy." She said rubbing her hands together.

Naomi looked at her, "Who's the 'it'?" She asked as Tiki slapped her head.

"Nickname Naomi Nickname..." She sighed as Naomi caught on.

"Oh!! You mean Kurt the Flirt! Right?!" She asked catching on.

Tiki peered at her, "Wow, I never knew you could figure that one out..." She said sarcastically, hitting Naomi on the back of the head.

"Shut up!"

"No you shut up Naomi!"

"Jamaican!"

"Hippie!"

"Hepher!"

"B-"

"GIRLS!!" Yami boomed out as the two girls stopped their little catfight. (a/n: Good timing! ^_~ hehe) He glared at the two as they backed away. "It is bad enough that the first time we met, you clutched to Joey's leg!" He pointed to Tiki. "Then the next time we met, you drag us to kingdom come by whatever you could grab a hold too." He glared at both of them. "And now we have to protect you and shelter you and help you find a way home!" He yelled, his eyes becoming engulfed in a crimson shade, as the girls whimpered. "And fighting for nonsense reasons is not going to get us anywhere!" He sighed and calmed down. 

"Yeah! Don't dink I forgot 'bout dat leg clingin' ding!!" Joey yelled, pointing at Tiki.

Naomi raised a hand, trying to be granted permission to speech. It was granted. She smiled slightly and walked towards Yami. "Yami, listen hun," She said walking over and putting her arm on his shoulders, "Don't give yourself that much credit. I think we can find a way back on our own." She turned to Joey. "And Joey, we'd be glad to tell you why Tiki clung onto you like that. But first, we need a place to stay badly." She begged as Yugi took over again, slipping out of Naomi's grip.

"Well...We'd be glad to help." He rubbed the back of his head. "We can figure something out. But right now, let's go to my house and sort things out. You have a lot of explaining to do still." He and his friends turned and started walking to the exit as Naomi's voice rang out loud.

"I thought we already explained pretty much everything?!" She yelled at them as Tiki yanked her ear and dragged her.

"Don't make things any worst than they are, or I'll bring YOU down to China Town!" She threatened as they all left the school roof.

They all entered the game shop, even Jake and Kurt, which they had to track down. And guess where they found them? Watching some cheerleaders kick up their skirts and show...well...you know.

"So..." Naomi sighed as they all sat on the couch or the floor. "A better explanation aye?" She groaned and rubbed her hands together. "I thought we already got that over with?"

"Not everything." Joey told them. "Like for instance, how did you end up in this mess, and I don't mean the blue swirling thingy. I mean, what were ya'll doing before that made you come here?" He asked as everyone else nodded.

Jake scratched the back of his head. "Alright. I've been here for four days, living off of my money. But, I remember, before I got here. I was at the mall, and my friends and I wanted to go on the Ferris Wheel to scope out-" He looked at the girls in the room and cleared his throat. "Well, anyway. Me and my friend got into a huge fight on the Ferris Wheel and I remember falling off the side and screaming bloody murder, the rest is self-explanatory." Everyone nodded as Naomi looked at him disgustingly.

"You disgust me Jaken, you really do." She said disgustingly , shaking her head. "You were scoping out the chicks, weren't you?" She asked accusingly.

Tiki nudged her in the ribs and shushed her. "Shut up Naomi!" She hissed and cleared her throat. "Well, me and Naomi came the same way." She bit her lip and cracked her knuckles. "We were at the mall, and I was buying a Yu-Gi-Oh DVD, of course, or was I buying Inuyasha?" She thought for a moments as Naomi answered.

"Yu-Gi-Oh, remember? You slammed it down on the counter and it shattered into a thousand pieces. Plus, they just got the new Japanese DVD in stock when we were there. And the old man at the register said it was about twenty or so dollars, and you didn't have that much. Remember?" Naomi asked as a light bulb went off inside Tiki's head.

"Oh! Yeah!! And you were looking at the posters!! Or at **a** poster of Joey!" She teased as Naomi slapped her on the back of the head. Joey's eyes widened.

"Shut up moron!! I was just looking at some more wall scrolls to add to my impressive collection dolt!!" Naomi screamed as Tiki backed away in fear.

"You did say the poster was **hot**." Naomi glared daggers at her."Sorry..." Tiki cleared her throat and started again. "Anyway, security started to chase us for some reason that I have no clue about. Then we went into a drug store and bought a pack of gum while we were on the run. Hey! That rhymes!!" She snapped her fingers as Naomi took over.

"Then we started to run again, but I whammed into a guy in a wheelchair. Then Tiki got this crazy idea to hijack the fricken wheelchair and roll right on home." She paused. "It didn't work that way. We started to speed up and then we zoomed into a game shop, then..." Naomi trailed off looking at the ground. "The next thing I knew, I was hearing Tiki screaming Joey, Joey, Joey, Joey!!! Perfect wake up call." She said sarcastically as Tiki blushed and cleared her throat.

Kurt then butted in, hearing enough of the blabber mouths, "And I was surfing on a huge killer wave when that portal thing swallowed me whole." Suddenly he realized something. "Wait...if I was surfing, then how come I have dry cloths on and not my swim trunks?!" He stood up and reached into his pocket, pull out a silver necklace with a dragon medallion on it. "And my necklace..." He dropped his surfer accent and started to talk normal for once. "This was burnt with my house one year ago. It was my grandmothers..." He sat back down as Naomi, Tiki, and Jake looked at each other to see if they changed any. Naomi and Tiki didn't but Jake jumped up remembering.

"Holy! My watch! Where's my watch!" He patted himself down and pulled all of his pockets out. "No!!" He sighed and sat back down heavily. "I had on jean shorts that were very baggy and a red vest. I don't see how I could have missed that!" He said frustrated. "Not to mention I actually don't have blue hair. I have brown. Short spiky brown hair."

Naomi looked at Jake. "Well then Jakey-boy." She said leaning forward. "Looks like you don't care about your appearance much, do ya sonny?" He asked leaning back again. A smirk of satisfaction crossed her face, knowing that Jake couldn't answer back to that one. She had gotten the last comment in for once.

Yugi scratched the back of his head. This was all very confusing. "Okay, I'm confused. Let's just go with what we got already and not worry about anything in the past. Is that okay with you all?" He asked as the four nodded approvingly.

"Good idea dude..." Kurt switched back to his accent and folded his arms. "All right, now about the places to stay..."

"Good topic. Well...since you have no place to stay...lets see..." Tea said tapping her fingers on the coffee table. "Well...I'm sure my parents won't mind if you stay at my house girls." She suggested as Tiki and Naomi agreed.

"Good idea Tea." Tiki said sitting down on the carpeted floor in the living room as everyone else took a seat on the furniture. "I like that idea, now for the two knuckleheads..."

"I'm sure my grandpa won't mind if they both stay here. They'll have to sleep on the couches but, it's better than nothing, right?" He asked as Kurt and Jake agreed. 

"Great idea Yugi." Jake commented folding his arms behind his head and laying down on the floor. "Not a bad idea at all..."

~*~

Malik sat in his chair. His eyes closed in deep thought. He was wearing the rare hunters robe and clutched the Millennium Rod in his hands.

"I sense something isn't right..." He muttered to himself and opened his purple orbed eyes that shown with hatred and furry, yet held a hidden hurt inside. "My Rod tells me something isn't right anymore. Will this affect my plan of Battle City? Nonsense. This is just a feeling, nothing more and nothing less." He assured himself and stood up. He walked down the steps towards a table with the God of Ra inside. He let down his hood and sighed. "Nothing more...Nothing more..." He kept repeating to himself, knowing that something wasn't right. That it has already changed the future of this tournament. Yet he didn't know the outcome, he knew it had changed. For better or for worse, he had no idea...

~*~

"Well." Tea sighed as she opened the guest room door. "This will be your room." She turned on the lights as a room came into view. It had one two-person bed with pink sheets and purple pillowcases and tacky green walls. Tiki's and Naomi's eyes bulged out of their sockets, literally.

Tiki started to snicker...or all out laugh. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!" She fell to her knees in laughter as Naomi started to join her.

"Oh My God!! This reminds me of that show, Barney!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" She laughed out as Tea's eyebrow began to twitch.

"SHUT UP OR I'LL KILL YOU!!" She threatened, red in the face. The two quieted down and slinked into the room as Tea slammed the door behind them.

Naomi looked at Tiki, "Did we say something?" Another door slammed as the dresser started to wobble.

Tiki looked up to the moving dresser as her eyes bulged out of her head again, but in fright. She whimpered, poking Naomi on the shoulder. She was whimpering like a scared puppy. (**a/n: o.0? did you understand that? I'm confused...**)

"What?" Naomi asked as the dresser fell on top of them. Crashing the mirror on their heads and sending the tiny shards everywhere. "Ow..." 

~*~

Kurt sat back on the couch, chewing a straw that he had gotten from the kitchen. He loved to chew on straws or wheat even, which is, weird in most cases. He was staring at Jake and Yugi, as they both were dueling a little fun duel. Heck, he couldn't even understand the game! Much less play it. He was better at Poker or Spades, the old timey games. He watched in total interest as Yugi beat the heck out of Jake.

"Aw..." Jake sighed and banged his head on the table. "Guess my sister was right back home, I should stick to outside sports." He leaned back and laughed. " But I don't care, great duel Yugi." He said enthusiastically.

"Thanks Jake. What sports do you play?" Yugi asked curiously sitting back on the couch.

Jake thought for a moment. "Lets see....I've played Basketball, Soccer, Football, now that's a rough sport. I broke my collarbone playing football. I was a receiver. Left hand actually. I also played Hockey and also I made track this year in School. That wasn't that bad. We made it to the state finals and one of my teammates failed to show up. So we lost by default." He shrugged. "Nothing much besides that." He said plainly

"I never actually cared for sports Jake. I was more interested in card games cause they were fun when you are alone." Yugi shrugged also.

Kurt looked at him oddly, "Really dude? We'll, my family has been in the sport of surfing dude for as long as I can remember, so it was normal for me to surf dude. But I never actually liked it dude, besides the part where you get to show girls on the beaches how skilled you are. Dude. And then they swarm all over you." He blushed slightly and cleared his throat. "Dude, but I don't always surf for that reason." He assured them.

Mr. Motou walked into the living room where they all were. "Alright boys, time for bed. It's after ten." He commanded and headed for his room. "The extra pillows and blankets are in the hall closet, Yugi can show them to you." With that, he disappeared into his room.

"Reminds me of my cranky grandfather...." Jake sighed and laid down on the couch.

"CRANKY?!" Mr. Motou yelled opening his bedroom door and storming out.

Jake jumped in surprise and fell off the couch with a loud _thud. _"No! Not like that Mr. Motou!!" Jake waved his hands around in forgiveness. "I meant that I miss him a lot and you remind me of him!!" Jake tried to explain, beads of sweat dripping down his face.

"Haha!" The old man laughed, seeing the fear in Jakes eyes. "Just kidding sonny! Just kidding." He slapped Jake on the back and finally actually went to bed.

Jake swallowed hard. "I think I'm gonna puke..." He held his throat and shimmied to his knees. "That old geezer's got some nerve doing that..." He hissed softly, shaking his fist threateningly.

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To be Continued...

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R&R!!


	6. An All Out War

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A/N: Okay, this is it, the last chapter I fused together. Here we go. After this point, it's gonna be new and fresh! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! Okay, here we go!! **This is probably gonna be the longest chapter yet!**

NOTE-Some of these characters won't be in THIS chapter, but they will be in ones to come shortly.(HiNt HiNt- Gee, I wonder why I would be telling y'all this now if they came in way later on....)

Yami Malik- Marik(I gave in to calling him that because writing Yami Malik every time just gets my hand sore....)

Malik- Malik

Bakura- Ryou

Yami Bakura- Bakura

There we go! And I never gave the exact age of my characters either...If you want to know here they are. The ages will be VERY helpful in the end of the story in the epilogue. 

Okay, from youngest to oldest...

Tiki-14/May 31st

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Naomi- 14/June 19th

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Kurt-15/January 24th

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Jaken-15/November 6th

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A/N: Let's get this party started!!! YEAH!! HERE WE GO! 3....2...1...!!!!

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Jump

This Is Gonna Be An All Out War.

"Hey, Naomi..." Tiki said looking down to the ground. They were walking to the shop of where the Duel Disks would be sold, with the gang. "Do you think...we should go our own way and not look back?" She asked, serious for the first time in a long time. "I mean. Sooner or later they will end up blaming us for what's gonna happen in Battle City, saying that we could have prevented this and that..." She trailed off as Jake and Kurt looked at her.

"Your right Tik, I hate to say it, but you're as right as rain." Jake agreed. "We need to get away from here as soon as possible and disappear, try and find our way home. My dad is probably worried sick about me right now." He said as Kurt nodded.

"Right dude, and besides, if word leaked out that we know about the future and all, we'd might as well 'hang ten' off of Battle Ship itself!" He shouted lowly as Naomi butted it.

"Whoa! Whoa! This is the chance of a lifetime here guys! We just can't walk away! People all over the world, our world would give anything for this chance to be here with our favorite TV characters! They would give anything!" She tried to convince otherwise, but failed miserably, and I MEAN miserably.

Jake whammed her over the head with his fist. "Get some brains Naomi! This isn't just about us! It's their safety too! If Malik found out, or even Yami Bakura, all hell would break loose!" He screamed into Naomi's ear as Joey turned back to them.

"Wacha ya'll talkin' bout over here?" He asked, his hands shoved in his pockets.

Tiki shook her head, "Just mumbling nonsense Joey, that's all." She said as he shrugged and turned back.

Jake looked at his comrades. "Then it's settled, we will get 'Lost' tomorrow during Battle City, ya got that?" He asked as all three nodded, though Naomi's nod was more like a pout.

~*~

Malik smirked, ordering his dominion to follow the group until the clerk at the Duel Disk shop took over, who was working for him as well. He chuckled lowly, hearing every word of their conversation. This sounded too good to be true...

"Hmm, I wonder..." He said to himself scratching his chin. He gripped the Millennium Rod tighter. "This will be interesting...interesting indeed." He hissed and leaned back in his chair. "They know what's going to happen in Battle City aye? They could be of great use to me...if my former plans fail of course. But that isn't going to happen. My plan's bulletproof." He reassured himself. He couldn't doubt himself for a second, for it he did, he could fail. But that wasn't going to happen. Not while he was in control of the situation. "But to be on the safe side for the time being. Keep an eye on them Ushina." He ordered.

The hooded figure in the shadows stopped, hearing its master's voice. "Yes Master Malik. Your will is my command." The figure said back and continued following the group.

~*~

Well, the next day was the start of the Battle City...oh joy. What fun this would be. Duels Duels Duels everywhere you can imagine.... But this tournament would be an 'All-out War' just as Kaiba would say.

Tiki, Naomi, Jake, and Kurt all were in the Domino square with Yugi, waiting for Joey to get his butt down here. Of course the night before, he got into some trouble with the Rare Hunters as he was going to go see his sister in the hospital and it was hectic trying to find him. Naomi and Tiki went with Tea, as Kurt and Jake went their own way. Jake was tempted to find him himself, cause he had seen the episode of this little glitch. Joey was at the beach, but Kurt talked some sense into Jake to let Tristan find him and he did. **(A/N: they cut the beach part from the dubbed episode, because Tristan hit Joey, trying to knock some sense into him)**

"Where is Joey?" Yugi asked desperately looking all directions as they all entered the city square.

Tiki and Naomi both shrugged. "We don't know..." They said in unison, of course lying...but...they couldn't really go out and say he was trying to think of a way to get back his Red Eyes.

Jake looked annoyed. "Listen Yugi," He said folding his hands behind his head. "I don't think we should start tailing you and following you, nor anybody else. Cause we know what's gonna happen, and we might be tempted to give you some advice that might change the future..." He trailed off looking at Tiki and Naomi both.

"Hmm? Oh, if you want to... Just be careful. And if you see Tea or Tristan, tell them to find me." Yugi asked as the other four nodded.

"Yes sir!" They all shouted in unison as Mai walked up. They all stopped. "Maybe we can wait till Kaiba announces the tournament..." They all said in unison again.

Mai turned and looked at them dumbstruck. "Okay, you bunch are really freaking me out now..." She trailed off pointing to the small group. Jake smiled slightly, rubbing the back of his head. Naomi and Tiki both backed away from the boys. And Kurt...Well...he just looked as confused as Mai.

Mai shook her head with a small smile and turned to Yugi. "Hello Yugi, haven't seen you in a while. How have you been? Since you're little date with Tea?" She nudged Yugi in the ribs and winked at him. He inwardly blushed.

"Well...Uh...Um..." How could he explain it wasn't really him and it wasn't a date, to a woman who was fixed on dating and guys? He just sighed as Naomi butted in.

"How do you feel about the opponents so far Mai Valentine?" She asked holding a banana she had stolen from Tea's house as Breakfast, up to Mai's mouth like a microphone.

Mai backed her head away from the banana that was armed and dangerous. "It would be better if you get that Banana out of my face." She stated and pushed the banana away. "They all look like losers to me! Now which one should I go after first?" She laid her finger in her lip and looked around. "Doesn't matter, they are all going to bow to me!" She said happily. "I'm gonna win this tournament!-"

"No! I'm gonna win this tournament Mai!" Sneered a very raspy, dry voice. It was like someone was dying when they talked and being strangled at the same time.

"Oh...Hi Weevil." Yugi said shortly as Weevil and Rex walked up, laughing.

"Yugi!" Weevil pointed to the other eye-level boy. "I will beat you this time and send you on that rowboat!" He snickered as Rex interrupted.

"No! You will get squashed by my demolition dinosaurs! They will squash you just like they would a bug!" He laughed his high-pitched laughed that made Jake cringe.

"Hey! Don't talk about the most precious animals in the world like that! At least they are not extinct and dumb!" Weevil shot back.

"My dinosaurs don't have a weakness, but it seems as though your bugs are a bit scared of the fly swatter!!"

"My bugs can carry the worst diseases and spread them to the world!! One bug can wipe out the whole entire earth!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Like the West Nile Virus!"

Kurt butted in, "Dude...didn't that disease come from Egypt?" Everyone nodded. "Just wondering...." He said. "Carry on dude."

"No! My denizens of the deep will drown all living creature on this earth!!" Came a hardy laugh from behind Weevil and Rex. Mako Tsunami was behind them looking down on all of them. He noticed Naomi and laughed again. "Ah! My friends! How have you been?" He asked as Naomi nodded.

"Great Mako! You?" She asked brightly stepping up to him. He towered up, but she was use to it with three older brothers to look up at.

"Haha! Wonderful my friend! Mako Tsunami never gets discouraged! Haha!" He smiled brightly as Weevil interrupted.

"Hope you're still cheery when I get through fishing!" Weevil laughed and started to walk away. "See you in the finals Yugi!" He laughed his disgusting laugh. "If you make it..." He sneered to himself.

"Yeah, watch out for my dinos!" Rex said goodbye and left for his own part in Battle City.

Mako laughed again, "Yes my friends, I believe I should get going too. See you Yugi, and you too Naomi, Tiki, and Jake." He waved 'bye' and headed in his own direction.

"Yeah, Bye!!" Naomi called back jumping up and down. "Gee, what a swell guy..." She marveled as Mai spoke.

Mia turned to Yugi, "Well Yugi, this is it. Next time we meet, we're rivals." She gave a thumbs up sign and walked away. The four looked at her sadly, knowing what was going to happen to her. But they had to keep their mouths shut, though it would be for the better...yet...they had a gut feeling this was going to be a living hell for them soon.

Jake turned to Yugi, "Well, I guess we'll be seeing you around shrimpboat. Can't give you any tips, wish I could but..." He scratched his chin and left, closely followed by Naomi, Tiki, and Kurt. 

"Wait! Shrimpboat? Wh-"

"Just a nickname shorty!" Jake yelled back as Naomi and Tiki slapped on the back of the head and Kurt just shook his head and sighed. Why did he have to get mixed up with them? What fate against him too? And 'Shrimpboat'? Surely Jake could have done better than that!

But neither Yugi, nor anyone else knew that they were walking away for good, if they didn't change their mind. Which wasn't in the plan. They had made up their mind. They were a burden. They would cause chaos. And they were the ones that could change the fricken future here as they knew it. Walking away without saying goodbye came be the hardest thing to do ever in your life. Just ask ones that have experienced it firsthand.

"Um...Okay...bye!!" Yugi waved back and started to look for Joey, who was no where to be found at this moment. He headed up to a rooftop to get a better view as Kaiba rang out on the loud speakers...

Naomi and co. turned in all directions as they heard Kaiba's voice in the city. They all looked to the sky to see a huge blimp hovering way above them in the cloudless sky. A huge TV was connected to the blimp and Kaiba's face was on the screen, smirking with satisfaction.

"Welcome Duelists..." He growled lowly attracting the attention of all participants in Battle City. "Welcome to the start of Battle City. Hope your worthy of participating in this tournament. Because it will be like nothing you've ever seen." He paused and grinned. "Now lets get to the rules. There is a locator card in you box that the Duel Disks came in. Hope you have that with you. Now, you need six locator cards to enter the finals. and if you lose all of you locator cards. Your gone. Now for the rules. You should have already read the handbook. If you haven't, well, let's just say you won't get very far. Monsters of level five and higher will have to be summoned by sacrificing the number of monsters needed first. Now that that is straightened out..." His grin produced into a smirk of satisfaction. "Prepare Duelist. This tournament will make Pegasus's Duelist Kingdom look like a joke. This is going to be an all out war" He closed his eyes. "Let the tournament begin!" And with that, the face disappeared off of the TV and duelists prepared.

Jake looked up sadly, "And so it begins..." He said softly as the others nodded. A wind swept through the City of Domino.

"Yugi, Joey, Mai...Bakura..." Tiki whispered as she turned around, a serious expression on her face. "I can't just walk away from this tournament! I can't just disappear here! I want to see this firsthand. And even though I can't give help to them. I can still cheer them on..." She stated as the others just looked at her surprised.

"But didn't you say yesterday-"

"I know! But I can't though! Not without saying 'goodbye' at least!"

Naomi walked up next to her, as did Jake and Kurt. "Your right. But...they will blame us. They know we...or I know the outcome of this whole tournament and beyond."

Jake smiled, "But won't it be worth it? To see the duels first hand and actually cheer them on?" He asked as Kurt nodded.

"True dudes. Let's not run away. Let's stay and fight! Anyone back home would kill for this dude, like Naomi said. Let's stop doubting ourselves and put our trust in them. Besides, friends wouldn't turn against friends! And just think of the people back home. The wish just to set their gaze on your favorite character! And we are lucky to do that!" Kurt agreed and began to run back the way they came. "C'mon dudes! Let's not keep Yugi waiting!"

~*~

Ushima growled. They change their minds too often! How can Ushima keep up with them in the cover of the shadows? This was impossible, Ushima concluded and slipped off it's hood.

"What are you doing?!" Malik growled at her from his chair in the Ghouls hideout. "Don't expose yourself Ushima. Or I'll have to send you to the Shadow Realm again. Do you want me to do that?" He threatened.

Ushima let her long black hair drift down to her lower back. Her eyes were of dark blue, cold and emotionless. For that was what the Shadow Realm did when you stayed in that wretched place too long. She had been in that desolated location for four years, and now only obeyed Master Malik, for fear that she would be sent there again. Her memory was wiped and soul more or less gone.

"Master Malik." She said toneless. "I have no choice if you wish for me to follow them. Shadows supply limited coverage. I need to keep an eye on them at all times..."

Malik grunted, "Very well Ushima, but if you screw this up. Your mind is as good as gone servant!" And with that, he closed the Millennium link that the Rod had made.

~*~

The four raced back only to find Yugi and the Rare Hunter dueling already. The Exodia Cards duel. Umm, isn't that the first duel of Battle City? Then that means Battle City has started and Naomi, Tiki, Jake, and Kurt are all in for the long haul. With chaos bound to ensue. But right now the present is at hand and the four are shoving their way to the center of the duel. Naomi burst through to the center first, right behind Joey. Next came Kurt, then Tiki, and finally Jake, who tripped on someone's shoe and fell flat on his face. So predictable.

"C'mon Ya- I mean Yugi!" Tiki shouted as Yami looked back to them, eyes wide. "Don't be that surprised! We here for ya man!" She gave a peace sign as Joey shook his head.

"Couldn't be gone for long, could ya?" He asked, staring straight at the duel. Jake walked up to him.

"Nope." He stated plainly, shoving his hands into his pockets and smiling a bit.

"But just tell me, who's gonna win? Will Yugi crumble to..." He trailed off as Jake just looked away. He knew this part of Battle City and everything. So he COULD answer this question....

"I can't tell you that Joey, sorry. Let's just say the one who has the harder road, is the one who usually makes it beyond the weakling that took the paved road." He said, not wanting to give the winner away that easily.

Joey grabbed him by the shirt. "Listen here Jake! I don't have time for your riddles! My friend is in danger! If h-"

"JOEY! Put Jake down." Yami stated sternly, looking over his shoulder. Joey put Jake down and clenched his fists. "And don't worry. I understood Jake perfectly." He smirked and went back to his duel.

Naomi walked up to Joey and patted him on the shoulder. "You think it's frustrating for you, it's frustrating for us very more." He stated as Tiki just looked at Naomi weirdly.

"'Frustrating for us very more?'" She raised an eyebrow as Naomi smiled cheesily and shrugged. "That just didn't sound of proper English grammar at all..." She noted as Naomi gave her a death glare. "You should work on you phrasing and think before you speak." She advised as the bandana haired girl clenched her fists and knocked Tiki right in the noggin.

"THAT AIN'T THE LEAST BIT NO FUNNY!!" Naomi yelled, using wrong grammar again and even making Joey look good for once.

Jake burst out in laughter. "You knucklehead! If you want to talk southern, just do it! Or even speak red neck! Just don't make Joey look good with his grammar!" He laughed as Joey glared at Jake and stared back at the duel. Who would win? Who would lose? Heck! He didn't know from a hole in the ground! Aw well, no use in thinking about it, right?

Ushima peered out of the crowd, never losing sight of the four teens. She smirked as she spotted them and returned to her seat at the cafe she had sat down to. Ushima sipped her cup of coffee and looked on. 'I must not fail Master...' Those words repeatedly ringing through her head.

Naomi gulped and stared over at Tiki. "Do ya think that we can keep the information hidden? Even from some of our now, very best of friends?" She asked seriously as Jake elbowed her in the ribs.

"Nonsense Naomi. We can't keep anything from friends. But we have to try." He said as Naomi just looked more scared. 

"That really helps Jake, it really does..." She said sarcastically and started to rubbed her hands together furiously. Someone was watching them. She had that suspicion. Could Malik know? No, the only one who could know would be Yugi, Joey, Duke, Tea, Tristan, and...Bakura! She cursed under her breath and looked around frantically. He had the Ring on when they told the guys that! Could Bakura have heard? Naomi shook this off. Nonsense. No one could know but the ones that they told it too...right?

~*~

Bakura stretched and leaned against the railing of the top of a building. This was getting boring, spying on the four kids. He could just take them and he wouldn't have to put up with this. The Tomb Robber yawned and rubbed his eyes. Why did they have to get up so early for a tournament? Surely back in Ancient Egypt this didn't happen. But this was the price of failure from those years ago.

"That Kaiba could have at least started this blasted tournament at ten' o'clock. This is ridiculous, starting a tournament at nine in the morning on a Saturday. I have better things to do than spy on these sniveling kids. But they could come in handy later. So I'll watch them, and capture one of them at the right time." He rubbed his hands together and sighed for a moment. "I thought I heard Naomi say that only she knew the whole extent of the tournament. Fine." He smirked madly. "Then I can only capture her and not worry about the other nuisances. I will obtain the powers of darkness and rule the world..." He sneered and looked on, to the duel raging below him in the city square.

~*~

Kurt high-fived Jake as Yami clenched the match and won. As they knew he would, but that meant they haven't screwed up yet, the duel went according to plan.

Naomi high-fived Tiki and clapped loudly. "Extraordinary! Simply marvelous! Exiting and exhilarating!" She yelled as Tiki nodded vigorously.

"This might not be that bad! This could be fun. Fun Fun Fun for Everyone!" Tiki pulled Naomi, Kurt, and Jake into a group hug. "Group hug everyone!" She snuggled up to them as Jake and Kurt both blushed with embracement.

"Get. This. Jamaican. Off. Of. Me." Kurt demanded, red in the face. He pushed out of her grip and breathed out a sigh of relief as Jake struggled to get free. 

"Tiki!! Get the heck offa me! Your choking me to-" Jake yelled and was cut short by Tiki's ranting.

"Oh How I love group hugs! And we ain't gonna screw nothing up! This went according to the book and that's great!" She squeezed the grip on Naomi and Jake tighter. "Now all we need to do if find the bloomin' way home and all! No pain, no gain! Ain't that ther' right Nay-Nay?" She asked Naomi, who was red in the face along with Jake.

"Nay-Nay?" Naomi asked, mad, very mad. "Nay-Nay?!" She said a bit louder. Loud enough for Tiki to let go and back away from her. "NAY-NAY?!" She finally shouted, blowing her top. "WHAT IN THE HECK IS THAT? A NICKNAME?! YOU SOUND LIKE A HORSE! A BLOOMIN' HORSE!" She shouted and wrapped her fingers around Tiki's throat. She started to choke and shake the living daylights out of her best friend. Naomi's eyes red with veins and teeth showing maniactically.

Tiki was being shook, hard, very very very hard. Her eyes where going in circles and her brain was pounding against her skull. Brain pudding anyone? "NaOmI....lEt gO!!!!" She shouted, grabbing Naomi's hair and yanking it hard.

"YOUCHI!!!" Naomi screamed and backed away. "Why in the heck did you do that you Jamaican?!" She asked as Jake snuck up from behind and grabbed her so she couldn't assault Tiki again. "Jake! JAKE! Let the freak go!!"

Jake struggled to keep her in her grip. "Me?! Let go?" He thought for a moment. "Nope. I won't. And-" Naomi wound back and kicked him in the shin. "OUCH!!" He screamed and let go, wobbling away as Naomi lunged for Tiki again. Joey caught her by her shirt.

"Get a grip Naomi!" Joey shouted and put her into a headlock. "Stop dis! Dere's no need ta do dis to yer best friend!" He tried to convince as Naomi calmed down.

"But-But...She called me a Nickname that I hate. It sounds as though she's talking to a hepher! A cow! Or even on good terms, a horse! And I just don't like that nickname cause my grandpa use to use it...and now he's..." She tried to explain, trailing off, as Tiki walked up, totally shell-shocked.

"Yeah, but, I thought you would get it as a joke Naomi. I completely forgot about your grandpa and all..." She apologized as Joey let go and sighed.

"See? Dere's no need ta fight, now is dere? It was just a big misunderstandin'." He said and shoved his hands into his pockets and turned to Yami as the Rare Hunter got up from the ground with the Millennium emblem glowing on his forehead. 

"Ah, so we meet again Pharaoh..." He sneered in a two-toned voice.

"Malik!" Yami sneered back, backing away some. "What do you want?"

Malik smirked and laughed. "What I want? I want a lot of things Pharaoh. I want revenge, and to strip you of your powers and kill you. I also want someone that is very close to you. One that knows..." He said and looked over to Naomi, unnoticing.

"My power? What do you mean?" Yami asked befuddled as Malik just laughed in his face.

"Stupid Pharaoh. You don't even know what powers you have. No matter. I tell you. The ancient scriptures state that the Pharaoh has a boundless power that is unmatched. But to get this power, I must obtain the Millennium Puzzle and drain the Pharaoh's power. Them after that." He paused for a moment. "I'll kill you." He stated venomously. He released the hold on the Rare Hunter's mind, cackling as he left.

The crowd fell silent and departed as Naomi looked at Jake, Kurt, and Tiki. "He wants someone? That's not what he was suppose to say...the rest was straightforward. It wasn't suppose to be like that..." She uttered softly to them, with fear now etched into her voice. The others nodded and look to Joey and Yami again. 

"Here you go Joey." Yami said, handing the Red Eyes back to Joey. "Take your Red Eyes. It's yours." He said as Joey shook his head.

"Nah Yugi, you keep it." "Joey said and looked to the clear cloudless sky. "Besides, this means a part of me will be in your deck." He said and smiled.

Jake, Kurt, Tiki, and Naomi just looked on, not wanting to interrupt this happy moment. Jake sniffed and turned away, followed by the rest of them.

"Come on. We'll catch up with them later. Besides, we can't tail them all the way to the blimp." He whispered and pushed his way through the crowds with Naomi, Tiki, and Kurt.

Yami put the card into his deck holder and looked around. "Huh? Where are those four?" He asked, turning in all directions.

Joey waved off. "Don't worry 'bout dem. They'll do fine on dere own. Besides, I dink we'll see 'em again soon." He said and started walking away. "Anyway. See ya around." He waved 'bye' and turned his attention directly in front of himself. 'What did that Malik creep mean by someone close? Could he want Tea or Tristan? Nah. He said someone who knows...Who could that be?' He pondered to himself, walking along the streets of Battle City.

Ushima finished her cup of coffee and got up. She stretched and headed into the direction the four fled to. Her purple robe flowing downward and her hood covering her face. A duel disk was attached to her right arm as she grinned. She had stolen the duel disk from some boy who was now crying in the shadows. Ushima clicked her deck into the slot and walked on. Not knowing where the four were heading, but knew the blonde headed girl was going to come in handy in the end. She didn't want to disappoint Master. But then again, she had to disappoint him if she wanted to bring out the total darkness in him. And that was, well, her simple, yet ingenious plan. She would make Malik pay, oh yes, make him pay.

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To be Continued...

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R&R!!


	7. Time To Do Some Business

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A/N: Hey-Hey! Wazzup? Sorry I hadn't posted sooner. Had a reunion and everything. It was such a mess. Waste of time and money...I will probably never go to another again. I am scared for life now. Anyway. I hope y'all found out what I did here. This is a NEW CHAPTER. Okay. I think that's all...

WATCH OUT FOR THE CHIPMUNKS!! THE CHIPMUNKS ARE COMING!! THE CHIPMUNKS ARE COMING!!! THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!! THE CHIPMUNKS ARE COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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AnYwAy./././././././././././././././.

Okay, there isn't much to say here except-well...I just have to say thank you to the reviewers. I really enjoyed reading the reviews. That is what inspired me to do this, because I want to make all of these chapters long and less talking. I promise that the Ode to Reviewers will come back, but not in this chapter. I'm too beat to do anything else right now...X.X...

Here we go!!!

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Jump

Abandoning the 'Dude' and 'Man'. Time for Business.

The day went by rather slowly. Nothing to see, not wanting to get into Joey's or Yugi's way. This was the most boringness day of their lives.

Naomi checked her watch. "It's three-thirty." He stretched and leaned back in her chair. 

They had stopped by a cafe to get something to drink.

"Dude, anything to do dudes?"

"Nope. Nothing Kurt." Tiki sipped her Coke. "If there was, I'd scream 'Hallelujah, Praise the Lord'. 'Cause I'm as bored as you are."

Jake looked at Naomi. "You said it was three-thirty?(3:30pm ^_~ hehe...) Guess Malik must be dueling Yugi again right about now..." He stirred his ice in his glass.

Naomi giggled, "Well, we know who's gonna win that one. Yugi is. And he's gonna get the God Osiris**(Slyfer)**. We all know that."

"Do we? Naomi, I'm a little worried about this all. Something isn't right anymore. We watched Joey and Weevil's duel on the big screen in the courtyard place. It didn't go as planned. I mean, Joey won in five minutes. That was not how it was suppose to go." Jake licked his lips. "I mean, maybe, without knowing...we did change the future here..."

Tiki waved him off. "Nonsense. Besides, the angle of that duel we saw at home, most of it was thoughts anywho. I mean, come on. We have done nothing wrong yet."

"Dudes, Tiki, that duel wasn't the same. Weevil didn't play his Great Moth nor his Insect Queen." Kurt swallowed hard. "Maybe we should...check up on them."

Jake nodded. "Good idea Kurt. Me and Naomi will go find Yugi, while you and Tiki will go find Joey. But let's just tail them. I know we said we wouldn't. But desperate times call for desperate measures. Okay?"

"Wait. Why can't I be with Naomi? Besides, girls should stick together."

"Because Tiki, we need to work together. Just stop complaining and let's go!" Jake ordered and grabbed Naomi's hand. "We have no time!"

Kurt nodded. "C'mon Tiki. Let's go find Joey."

"Alright...Hey! Don't pull me! I think I can run myself Kurt!"

"Dude, you ain't fast enough man."

"I can see how you get on Naomi's nerves now...If you call me a man one more time...I'LL KILL YOU!!"

"Sheesh...sorry...Hey! There they-"

"Shut up moron!" Tiki's hand was tight over Kurt's mouth. "We are spies. Just keep that in mind and let them not know that we're here." She whispered into his ear.

She pulled them into a shop and looked out of the window. Joey, Tea and Mr. Motou all walked by the shop. Minding their own business. Talking and laughing on.

Kurt flung Tiki's hand away. He looked saddened as they walked by. "Poor guys...they don't even know what's gonna happen to them..."

"Quiet!" Tiki snapped. "I know moron. You think it is easy for me to just sit back and know that something bad is going to happen and you can stop it. Yet, you can't?"

"Yeah...I know..." Kurt, for once and for all in this plot, abandoned his trademark tongue. **(A/N: *sniff* poor Kurt...he abandoned his 'Dudes' and 'Mans'...I liked those too...)**

"Hey...you didn't say 'dude'...What's wrong with you?" Tiki raised her eyebrow.

Kurt shrugged. "Guess that trademark should be forgotten right now. That's all. 'Guess it's just an inside thing. A vow to myself that I wouldn't use that word unless everyone was happy and I could crack a laugh. That isn't the situation now though. So I'll lay that aside. But beware girl, when I hear laughter, I will say that loud and clear-"

"-Watch out!" Tiki shouted as Kurt _banged_ right into the post.

**_DONG!!!_**

"Ow! Ow! Ow!!!!" Kurt howled as Tiki shut his mouth again with her hand.

"Shut up moron!!"

~*~

Bakura walked down an alleyway, minding his own business. He was searching for that girl Naomi, but couldn't find her. It was like she had just disappeared! He growled and walked on with his hands shoved into his pockets. **(A/N: BAKURA BAKURA 'KURA!!! *sqwee*)**

"Where are they...I need that girl for my plan. Yet I might not need her if the course of the future has already changed. I can sense that it has. But she can just be for insurance..." He mumbled to himself, hearing a motorcycle nearby. His Item suddenly lurched, sensing another Item nearby. He sneered and turned around.

A man riding a motorcycle turned into the alleyway, heading almost straight towards him. "It must be my lucky day..." He said and held his hands out. "Stop Mortal!" He commanded as the man gave a complete turn and skidded to a stop.

"What do you want?!" The man on the motorcycle yelled, already growing impatient. "I don't have time for this nonsense. Get out of the way."

Bakura smirked. "You have an Item I want secured to your belt." He pointed out as the man took out his Item.

"What? You want this? My Millennium Rod? How would you know about the Rod?" The man asked as Bakura smirked. 

"I know a lot about those Items foolish mortal. And I know if you don't hand it over, let's just say things won't be pretty."

The man looked at him strangely. "Who are you?"

"A tomb robber of sorts. I've lived for longer than you can imagine. So I'm not a pushover like that former Pharaoh."

"Did you say Pharaoh? You mean the spirit that lives within the Puzzle?"

"Exactly. Seems we have a lot in common. What's your name mortal?"

"Malik. That's all you need to know." 

"Okay Malik, if you could just hand over your Item. You can go away unharmed. I don't have the time. I'm looking for a very important person." Bakura informed, now he was the one getting impatient with this Malik character.

"So am I. She holds a key that I need to posses."

"A key?" Bakura raised an eyebrow. "A key that can change the future if necessary?"

Malik looked shocked. "How did you know that?"

The spirit chuckled, "I guess we are looking for the same person then, aren't we? Is her name Naomi?"

Now Malik smirk. "Seems we are looking for the same person. I have a proposition for you-?"

"Bakura. Go on."

"I will give you my Rod if you help me claim all of the cards I desire and help me catch this Naomi. She could be of use to both of us. But my sister also holds a Millennium Item and I know where the rest are. Do you care to join me?"

Bakura gave it some thought. 'I could use this mortals ignorance against him and claim all. This might work...' He looked up. "Fine Malik, we have a deal."

Suddenly two teenagers ran by them in a hurry. The two guys had to blink twice before they noticed the purple bandana in the blondes hair.

"THAT'S HER!!" They yelled in unison and started to chase after them. Bakura hopped onto the back of Malik's bike as Malik sped away towards them.

"I never liked motorcycles..." The spirit muttered to himself.

~*~

Naomi ran on with Jake, slowly running with Jake. "Jake, could you slow down?" She breathed as Jake shook his head.

"No! We have to keep going! I believe I know where Yugi is." He informed as Naomi just sighed.

"Where Jake?"

Jake pointed to a tall building that raised into the sky. "My calculations point me to there. The Duel between Umbra and Lumis."

"Oh...That would explain the hologram of the Blue Eyes White Dragon on top of that building, right?"

"Yep, that would be the place."

"Good, 'cause I'm getting-" Suddenly two people on a motorcycle picked her up and tossed her onto the cycle. "JAKE!!!" Her screams were deafening. She sped past Jake who only looked at her dumbfounded, helpless and hopeless. Who had her? She thought she knew by the purple shirt of the driver.

"No! Bring her back!!" Jake shouted, starting to run after them as fast as he could. It wasn't fast enough. He tripped on a trashcan and fell flat on his face. "Ow..." He groaned and lifted his head off of the pavement. The motorcycle sped away, caring with it the only girl that knew the true outcome of Battle City.

Jaken stood up slowly. What could he do? What was he going to do? 'Tell Yugi! Yeah! He would help out!' Jake thought and raced towards the huge building that had a duel raging on its rooftop right now.

He ran into the building, it looked more like a mall, and ran up the down escalators. That didn't work to well. He came right back down. Tried to go up again. Came right back down. Then he had the brilliant idea of going the other way! Jake hit his forehead and raced up the up escalator. The boy raced up thirty flights of stairs when he realized he could have taken the elevator. Too late now, he was at the top and ready to bust onto the rooftop.

Jaken swung the door open and raced outside to see the duel right in its climax moments. He raced over to Yugi and shook him. "Naomi! Naomi Gone!" He said exhausted as Yugi, who was really Yami at the time.

"What? I'm in the middle of a duel Jake." Yami said as Jake nodded and pointed towards the pier

"Naomi...gone..." He tried to catch his breath. "Naomi, been k-"

"Listen, will you please step aside? Can't you see we're in the middle of a duel?" Seto Kaiba interrupted very impatiently.

Yami nodded. "Yes, we are having a duel. And I have to find my friends before Malik does something horrible to them."

Jake sighed. "I know-"

"Please Jake. I'll be with you later. Naomi probably just went off by herself." Yami turned back to the duel and continued.

Jake gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "If a duel is more important than Naomi, fine. I'll rescue her myself." He said lowly and stormed off of the rooftop. 

Yami looked back one more time with an eyebrow raised. What did he mean by rescue? He shook the thought off and continued dueling.

Jake stormed out of the building and gave the finger back up at the building. "Fine." He took off running again. But this time he was going to go find Tiki and Kurt. They could help. They had to.

~~~

Kurt rubbed his eye, which was black and swollen from the collision with the pole. He grumbled to himself and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Why didn't you tell me there was a pole there? Inside of that building."

"Because." Tiki replied. "I didn't know till you ran into it. It was pretty funny though." She laughed.

"Funny or not. We lost Joey and the others because of that metal piece of crap." He snorted. "And now I have no clue where they are, do you?" 

Tiki suddenly stopped, feeling something was wrong. Her feelings never lied. 

"What's wrong?" Kurt asked, turning back to Tiki.

"Something's wrong."

"And what gave you that impression?" He said sarcastically.

"A gut feeling I've had since I was little. And the scary part is, it's usually right..."

Kurt just looked at her, shocked as a holler came from behind him.

"KURT! TIKI! YOU GOTTA HELP!" It was Jake. He looked like he had been running for a while. He stopped at them and leaned against Kurt. 

"Jake. What's wrong bud?" Kurt asked as Jake shook his head. Beads of sweat were rolling down his face.

"Naomi's been-"-He gasped-"kidnapped."

This statement caught Tiki's full attention. "What?! Where? Who has taken my best friend?!" She cried, turning Jake to face her head on. "Who's taken her! C'mon! Out with it idiot!"

"M-Malik and Bakura..." He finally spoke as Tiki and Kurt just stared wide-eyed at him.

"We have to get help!" Tiki started in pandemonium. She pranced about nervously. Her best friend had been taken by two wackos in her opinion. **(A/N: NO OFFENSE!! TO ALL OF YOU MALIK AND BAKURA LOVERS OUT THERE!!)**

"Yeah! Help! Joey and-"

"No Kurt. I already asked Yugi, he won't. He was too wound up in his little duel to even acknowledge me." Jake shook his head. "We are going to have to do this. And I know exactly where Naomi is. The pier. Malik's boat probably." Kurt and Tiki nodded.

"Let's hurry!" Tiki shouted as they started to run for the pier, practically dragging Jake along. He was too exhausted to do anything.

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To be Continued...

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R&R!!


	8. Darkness FTW

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A/N: Well, I guess I have some explaining to do, huh? I haven't updated in so long is because I was just stumped. Totally stumped on what was going to happen. But after about a week I finally yelled "**Eureka!**" and I found a solution. It's not the best solution, but it goes with the plot of this story.

Some of you might hate me after this chapter and I understand fully, others of you might love me. But hang in there, it will all resolve in the end...unless I get another writers block that is...hehe...

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NOW FOR MY RENOWN REVIEWERS PRAISES!

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Ode to Reviewers

Kiasa and her yami Kanou- Sorry if I made Yami evil...but you know how stubborn guys can get, ya know? So he was just being a bit stubborn, that's how I like to look at it. Hehe...But he'll be less evil later on when Naomi saves his butt, and believe me, she'll have something to say once she finds out about that. Ohhhhh, that will be a war within itself. ^_~ Keep on reviewing!

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joeyz girl- -_- haven't heard from you in quite a while. I hope you didn't get too confused when I combined some chapters together and all. Where I left off was at chapter six, then I added chapter seven, and now this is the grand chapter eight! You'll figure it out! If you can't...feel free to flame be because of it. Please review cause I wanna hear from you again so I know you ain't dead.

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Kawaii Hyper Dragon- Haven't heard from you in a while either. I hope everything is coming along okay with you. And I'm sorry if I confused you with the combining of chapters, I know, that was kinda stupid, but my computer is just so screwed up right now that the memory is like down to a pea size because we don't have enough room for anything else...-_-(glares at parents) But I hope I HEAR from you soon or else I'll think you're dead! And I don't want that...

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A/N: Okay, so it's to the part you have been waiting for...*drum roll* THE TURNING POINT IN THE STORY! BUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

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AND ONE MORE THING! There will be two new characters coming into the plot in a couple of chapters. BUT! There's a catch. I have no clue what two new characters should come into play, SO THIS WILL BE A CONTEST! TELL ME ABOUT THE CHARACTER YOU WANT TO PUT INTO THE STORY. Tell me every description like eye color and hair color and even if she/he's weird, a prep, or just plain normal. You get the idea. And the name most of all!(like Sally Sue Bondora, I would prefer that if you don't mind. Screen names would be more like nicknames like Mistletoe or J.R. I wanna keep it as real as possible.

THE TWO THAT MAKE THE CUT WILL PREMIERE IN THE STORY! SO MORE OR LESS YOU CAN PUT YOURSELF INTO THE STORY IF YOU LIKE!! (I would, but I already have...-_- *glares at Naomi* She may not look like me, but she sure acts like me...) 

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Jump

Chapter 8- Fate is not Always Kind. The Darkness Awakens.

"HELP ME SOMEBODY!!! JAKE!! KURT!!! TIKI!!!!" Naomi yelled in chaos. Her hands where flailing about as someone kept a tight hold on her from the back of the motorcycle. This was a scary experience Naomi would later say. Not knowing who took you or where you were going.

The motorcycle suddenly halted and the tight hold relinquished. Naomi fell off the motorcycle onto her face. Flat on her face. She looked around. They were at the pier near a boat docking.

"Who did that? They are going to pay! I swear!" Naomi shouted in outrage, lifting her head and looking at her captures. She gasped. "No way! Malik and Bakura?!"

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Yes girl. Now come along. We need a little...information from you." He said darkly as an Egyptian know as Odion picked Naomi up and carried her into the boat. **(A/N: you know that boat...right? YOU SHOULD! hehe..)**

"No! Let me go!! Let me go!!" She cried as Malik just looked back at her and smirked. 

Odion dumped Naomi inside and tied her to a computer chair. Malik drew his rod from his belt and sat down in a nearby chair close to a counter. This was a pretty nice boat. Malik poured himself a glass of water with ice inside and looked at Naomi. He had to get to business. The trap for Yugi was already set down at the peer. He directed Joey out of another boat and the duel between the two best friends began. No one won. Malik growled angrily, but that was about it because he knew that he held the key to his victory anyway. Malik looked back to Naomi, who was sitting there patiently with a cloth wrapped around her mouth. Odion took it off. Bakura was leaning on a wall with his arms crossed, waiting patiently also.

"We know you posses the knowledge of what's going to happen in the future. Tell us." He stated very very bluntly.

Naomi just blinked for a few moments, then laughed like a maniac. The Bakura laugh to be exact. She smiled, "I know all of that and beyond. But that doesn't mean I'm going to tell you Malik." 

"And why not?" Bakura butted in, stepping closer. He folded his arms. "You are in no position for choices."

The girl just stared up at him. "I don't see why my knowledge would help you, even now. The future has already change. I know that for a fact. Nothing has gone the way it was suppose to. The present is slowly slipping off of it's tracks. Will this world go into chaos and madness now? Or will there be a bright future on the horizon? Frankly I don't know anymore."

Malik clenched his rod tighter. "What do you mean that the present is slowly slipping from the tracks? I don't understand. How has the future changed?"

Naomi laughed again, this time like mad. Her voice became two-toned as the Millennium Symbol shown brightly on her forehead. "It hasn't. But now...it has."

Both Bakura and Malik backed away.

"What are you doing Malik?!" Hissed Bakura as Malik shook his head.

"N-Not me!" He admitted and dropped the Rod.

"Is she possessed?" Bakura asked, staggering back towards the exit. Malik had no where to go.

"How am I suppose to know that?!" He spat back as Odion stood behind Naomi, trapped.

Naomi looked back madly, swung her chair around, and kicking Odion in the face. Odion's head hit up against the wall and he fell into unconsciousness. She grinned. "Finally..."

"Odion..." Malik uttered as his head started to throb with pain. He growled and clutched his head. This was the worst pain he had ever imagined. It was like something was pushing at his consciousness, trying to take over.

The Symbol stopped glowing on Naomi's head as she plummeted into unconsciousness also.

Bakura blinked and fumbled with the doorknob. Why did Malik have to lock it? He tried to yank it open. That didn't work. He tried to break the handle off. No go. The spirit turned back, eyes wide, as a golden flash showered the room, blinding everybody who was awake. That was only him and Malik.

The tomb robber opened his eyes to find that nothing had changed in the flash. With the exception of Malik...The Golden Symbol shown on his forehead and he looked insane. Worse that he, Bakura, could ever be. Bakura's mouth became utterly dry as the man smiled and picked up his Rod.

He walked over to the girl as she began to stir. Naomi opened her eyes as Marik lifted her chin. An evil smile wound it's way onto his face as Naomi's eyes widened with fear. She tried to scoot back, she couldn't. She tried to get out. She couldn't.

Naomi looked over to Bakura. "RUN!!" She screamed as Bakura, for the first time he could remember, stood there dumbfounded. He shook this off quickly and spat back. 

"And how would you expect me to do that? The door's locked!" He shouted back as Naomi shook her head and met eye-to-eye with Marik. 

"Just go you numb brain! While you still can!" She looked back at Bakura and gritted her teeth. There was no way for him to get out. "What are you going to do Marik?" She asked quietly as Marik answered simple.

"Send you into the realm of darkness of course." Marik shrugged and pointed the Rod towards Naomi. There was a blinding flash and a scream, Naomi fell limp on the chair. Not one bit of struggle. She was just...gone.

"I am finally free. That girl came quiet in handy for me. I never knew I could use her like I did." Marik smiled and looked at Bakura. "And you...the spirit of the ring..." He opened the Rod's sheath to reveal a sharp knife. "Ready to visit the darkness?"

Bakura yanked on the door one last time before facing the enemy. He was scared. Yes, he was scared. But he wouldn't let it show. He laughed. "Visit the darkness? I am originally a member anyway." He smiled his trademark smile. "You can't possible win against me mortal."

Marik fiddled with the Rod playfully. "You'd be surprise of all what I can do Bakura. Every time I send a soul to the Shadow Realm, my powers grow stronger. You can't possibly stand up against me, now can you?"

Bakura smirked, "Try me."

"I won't try, I will." He raised the Rod, knife end pointing towards Bakura and smiled insanely.

Bakura had no way out. No way to get away from here. If he didn't think of something fast, he would be done for. The spirit looked around for something he could use to defend himself. He heard the click of a gun.

The knife came down.

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THE END! BUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Seriously, did you think I would be THAT mean? Naw, y'all would kill me totally. ^_^

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

"Naomi! Naomi!! NAOMI!!!" Tiki screamed as she ran along the pier. Where was her friend? Was she in trouble? God, she hoped not. Naomi and her had been best buds for as long as she could remember. She wouldn't know what she'd do if something happened to Naomi. She didn't know. She closed her eyes and remembered one time she and Naomi got in trouble and somehow came out alive.

_"Naomi..." Tiki said scratching her head. She was about twelve, thirteen. "WATCH OUT YOU DOLT!!"  
_

"What?" Naomi suddenly ran into a huge juggernaut the side of Mount Everest. "Whoa, big momma..." She gulped and backed away.

A HUGE old lady peered at her, rolls of fat everywhere. Her fingers literally looked like sausage strips. "Watch where you're going." Her voice was as deep as a man's. She was the one lady that everyone feared in the little town of Lexington. She was the meanest, nastiest, ugliest person in that town, and I mean UGLY.

"Umm...Sorry Mrs. Elephant- I mean Eligan. I didn't SEE you there."

Tiki rolled her eyes, whispering out of the corner of her mouth. "Can't see HOW you can miss a person like that..."

Naomi laughed as Mrs Elephant-err...Eligan grabbed her by the shirt and yanked her forward.

"What's so funny girl?!" 

Naomi shook her head. "NOTHING! NOTHING!!"

Mrs. Eligan eyed her up and down, letting her go. "Just watch where your going missy." And with that, she walked away, or waddled away. However you prefer.

Tiki whispered into Naomi's ear, "I think she's jealous cause we have muscles and she don't." Naomi laughed.

The HUGE, I emphasize HUGE, juggernaut turned around, swinging her fifty pound purse into the air. "WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT ME?!!" She boomed.

Tiki and Naomi looked at each other as the lady swung her purse. The two girls ducked and race around her.

"Wow, I didn't know we could get around her..." Tiki marveled as the lady started running behind them. Tiki could remember the ground literally shaking with every step that elephant took. But that elephant sure was fast.

They raced around a corner and entered a grocery store. Naomi ran straight into the metal detectors, hitting her head and stumbling backwards.**(A/N: I did that one time...)**_ Tiki helped her up quickly and they raced over to the grocery carts._

Naomi yanked one out, turned it around, and stood there ready to meet Mrs. Eligan head on. Tiki did the same.

Mrs. Eligan came stampeding down an isle, swinging her monstrous purse and yelling a now hoarse battle cry. "AaAaAaAaAaAhHhHhHhHhHhHh...*cough**cough*"

Naomi and Tiki looked at each other and smiled, a full isle of people behind the juggernaut and nothing in their way. They grinned and ran forward, pushing the carts towards the lady.

Mrs. Eligan stops swinging her purse. It hit a guy square in the noggin. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as the two girls ran forward with two buggies.

The two girls smiled daringly, showing all of their teeth. "BOWLING ANYONE?" They screamed and thrust the buggy into the woman. They thought she would go bowling over and topple everyone on that isle over. She did. But the impact to the ferocious gut of the woman sent them flying backwards, buggy and all, into the checkout line.

Naomi ended up on the conveyer belt as the belt started pulsing back and forth, trying to find the price for the item. Tiki ended up in the candy. A Snickers stuck right in her pink shorts. Later she had to end up paying for it from intoxication. But their plan worked! It really worked! Not the desire impact they wanted, but it actually worked!

They laughed on and on as the onlookers started and Mrs. Eligan kept screaming. "HELP ME! HELP ME! I'VE FALLEN AND I CAN'T GET UP!!" But that screaming was drowned out by the laughter of everyone in the store. Letters came in later to the two girls saying that they really brightened up their day. They weren't surprised.

They always, in one way or another, brighten someone's day up. No matter how crummy theirs were.

Tiki help back a tear and kept calling out her best friends name. She wanted to do that again. Just one more time. That's all she wanted, just one more time.

__

"Naomi!!" Kurt called after her too. Though Kurt only knew Naomi from his classes last year, they were pretty good friends. He didn't know what he'd do if something happened to Naomi. His first thought was revenge. But a memory soon flooded in on their last day of school. 

_"Dude, what's up Naomi?" Kurt asked, walking up to Naomi._

Naomi had her nose stuck in a book. "Reading Kurt. And I am not a DUDE!!"

Kurt shrugged, "Whatever. Anyway, want to catch a flick with me later dudette as a date?"

"No thanks Kurt. Family is much more important. I have to go see my grandmother tonight."

"Oh, tomorrow night then?"

"Sorry, I am going to go see a 'flick' with Tiki. And I'm sure you don't want to come Kurt." Naomi said, turning the page.

"Ever then?"

Naomi smiled and put down the book. "Maybe. I don't know. I'll get back to you though. But I'm not really into the date thing yet. I don't really want to have a boyfriend right now. Sorry." 

Kurt sighed, "Dude, then can you at least call me a friend?"

She smiled and took off her reading glasses. Naomi held out her hand. "Anyone who even talks to me is my friend Kurt. I always considered you a friend." Kurt went to shake her hand. She pulled it away. "But, to me, a handshake means that you are obliged to help me when I need it and I'll help you also. Agree?"

Kurt smiled, "Dude, I agree. A surfer's handshake also means friends till the end babe." They shook, sealing each others fate as friends forever.

"Yes, friends till the end." She put on her glasses again and began to read once more. Kurt started to walk away. "Oh and Kurt..."

"Dude?"  


"STOP SAYING DUDE! I AM A GIRL! NOT A BOY! AND FOR THAT MATTER, DON'T CALL ME BABE EITHER!!"

Kurt chuckled inwardly to himself. "I promise you Naomi. I will help you! I will find you Naomi, my friend."

"Yo! Naomi!" Jake beckoned. No sound came. He knew that this was his fault in a way. If he had just slowed down for Naomi to catch up with him, this wouldn't have happened. But it did. And whoever was responsible would get a can of whop-ass from him. He stared off into space as a memory emerged from his mind of when he met Naomi..

_"Your right. But how are we suppose to get back? By the way the two guys acted, this ain't no 4Kids production with the goody-goody two-shoes characters. This is real." Tiki sighed and sank down to the ground. "Just when we were on the top of the world, we fall flat on our faces." She laughed as a voice interrupted._

"I know what you mean..." A boy with short dark blue hair appeared around the alleyway corner. "In our rightful world, we are considered by the police officers missing, perhaps even dead. Because we disappeared from sight and sound..." He trailed off looking at them with his mesmeric deep blue eyes.

Tiki gasped, "What?! Dead? They think we are dead?! I might have a funeral when I am still alive and my parents don't even know it?!" She panicked and realized hi statement. "Wait, we?" She asked as the boy nodded/

"Yes, we. I am in the same boat as you. And I can't tell you if they think we are dead." He spoke shrugging and leaning against the wall.

Naomi bit her lip. To Jake, she looked so cute when she did that. "So your saying we were whipped out of existence there?" She asked as Tiki stared at the boy. Naomi fumbled with her blonde hair, thinking.

The boy chuckled, "Not quite. No, were just here now. But I don't know all the circumstances. Mind you, I'm a victim in this too..." He looked up to the blue sky. 

Naomi looked at him, "This is feeling more like The Twilight Zone than the Yu-Gi-Oh World now..." She sighed and stood up. "Well, we'll just have to make the best of it until we figure this out!" She said cheerfully as the others sweat-dropped. "Hey! I didn't know we could do that!" She yelled, pointing to the two. She always knew how to turn things around right when they needed to take a U-turn for the best and at the right time too.

The boy rolled his eyes and rubbed the back of his head. "Does the word '**Anime**' mean anything to you?" He asked sarcastically. Sure, he was hard on the girl, but all he wanted to do was impress her, for once.

Naomi thought for a second and snapped her fingers, "Ya! Japanese Animation of course! Like Gundam Wing, and G-Gundam, and Zoids, and the hideous Pokemon, and Sailor Moon, and Rouni Kenshen,(Sorry if I misspelled)_ and Yu Yu Hakusho, and the utterly disguising DragonBall Z, and-" She kept on naming the Anime she knew and loved. "Tri-Gun, and KiKaider, and..." She stopped and tapped her foot on the ground. "Now I know I forgot one...." She paused, then shouted, "**INUYASHA!!**" With that, they two other teens sweat-dropped again. She was the kookiest girl yet he'd seen. She seemed to be very annoying at times, but what girl didn't? She was one of a kind._

Tiki slowly stood up and rubbed the back of her head, cursing in Spanish. She had learned it from a vacation she and her family took to Mexico. Then she looked at the blue haired boy, ignoring Naomi. "What's your name?" She asked as the boy looked back at her surprised.

He tensed up, "Well, m-my name is-is Jaken actually....really peculiar in my opinion." He stuttered softly.

Naomi walked over, "Jaken aye? Not a bad name, but why don't we just call ya Jake." She held out her hand and the boy excepted it. Boy, a friend on the first day and a potential girlfriend. This was his luckiest day yet! "So...um...." Her stomach growled as she blushed. Naomi tapped her foot and waited for a second as everyone just looked at each other. "Is anyone hungry?!" She asked finally breaking the silence as the two others bit the dust again.

Jaken smiled sadly and looked around. She was his friend. He just had to find and rescue her, just had to!

They spotted the docks and raced to the boat that Jake had recognized as Malik's. They took a deep breath and slammed on the door to the inside of the boat. It wouldn't budge! The door was locked and Naomi was inside!

Jake and Kurt banged on the door for a while as Tiki searched her hair and pockets for a bobby pin, that would work. She found one and quickly shoved the boys aside. Tiki stuck the pin in the hole and rattled it around. All was silent inside and out. Were they too late? Was she even in here? One way to find out.

The lock clicked open. 

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To Be Continued...

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And that is where I end it for this chapter. Can y'all tell where the other two characters would come in at? 

I'm so sorry that I am soo mean right now, An evil cliffie, I know! But I'll make up for it by giving you a sneak preview of the next chapter since I was so mean. ^_~

~Bakura heard the sound of a gunshot as he watched the knife fall closer and closer to him aimed directly at his heart. Suddenly something ricocheted off of the blade and changed it's direction to his arm.~

~Bakura just looked at him, a small smile crept upon his face. He could use this situation to his advantage after all. "And how are you going to 'Make him pay'?"

Jake and Tiki looked straight into his eyes. "Join Battle City. Defeat all in our paths till we rescue Naomi by beating Marik."~

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Hope that will give you a clue! (and hopefully it hooked you too...) STAY TUNED TILL NEXT TIME!

R&R!


	9. This is Why Evil People Have Monologues

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A/N: You betta be glad that I decided to post a new chapter this early. But it's just a little treat from me to you. Otherwise you would have had to wait so say, two more weeks, until school let out for Christmas Break. But since I got so many wonderful reviews! I decided to give you an early holiday treat.

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Winners for the Character Contest: Here are the results for the character contest that I hosted last chapter and that you all very much for all of your characters! I was totally befuddled on which two characters I would feature in my stories. They were all excellent, but understand that I could only pick two. 

I picked the two that I thought would have a semi-hard time connecting with each other and the character that I'm going to mix into all of this, just to top things off.

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But I'm going to be mean to some of you, I'll wait to announce the winners the chapter they come into play. And that would only be in a couple more chapters. So, if you want to see if you characters come in, you'll just have to wait and review! And maybe, since all the characters were very good, I might throw in an extra surprise later. ^_~ Who knows with me.

Go on and tell me that I am being mean, cause I am. But doesn't this just build up the excitement?! Just remember, just a couple more chapters. That's all.

And I hereby declare this contest OVER!

**__**

Ode to Reviewers

Hyper Hikari- *twiddles thumbs* Sorry about that.... my hard drive sucks and the chapters were taking up unwanted space...But hey! Look on the bright side! You get longer chapters now! *nods a whole lot* Yup-Yup! GLAD YOUR BACK!! *shakes Cassie's and Sandy's hands till they drop. The _Reviews_ just wouldn't be the same without you two! Pst, Sandy, thanks for talking Cassie into reviewing. I own you one! HEHE! Hope you like this chapter! I really really really really really really really really really really really really really hope you like this chapter! TTYL! HAHA! (_YES, I AM ON SUGAR RUSH TODAY!)_

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Joeyz girl- Glad to hear from you again! *shakes hand* Very glad to hear from you again! You character is first-rate and will be great for my story. Hope you review again and that you LOVE this chapter! Though it doesn't have much of Joey in it...^_~ But it gets down to the point. Review again please!!

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Angel Rose- Ahh, a newbee to the _Ode to Reviewers_! Thank you for reviewing so much! YOU HOOKED!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYTAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYA

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY

AYAYAYAYA!!!!!!!!!! It really made me feel special! ^________^ Thank you! **0.0 **Long character description there...so many things to follow...rules and regulations to abide by with the character! **X.X**. Renee is a very unique character actually. Very unique and would probably fit the part too! She's crafted nicely and every detail you pointed out. No room for errors there. HAHA! Thank you for reviewing and hope to see you again! *tips hat* Toodaloo!

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Jadedcalista- Another newbee! I'm flattered! Your character is very good and original. I liked the cloths and the streaks in the hair. It makes her one of a kind! And very original too. Thank you for reviewing and I hope to hear from you again!

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Kaisa and her Yami Kanou- Thank you for liking the last chapter. I tend to make 'Kura a bit nicer in the story for plot reasons you'll see in this chapter. I mean, Bakura, once you think about it, isn't really that mean either, you know? And don't we all love him? *huggles Bakura plushy* He is just so nice and pretty with his white hair and brown dreary eyes. *sigh* Thank you very much for submitting the character! Zillah is awesome! I like the name for the meaning, Shadow. It goes excellent with her personality and her deck too. (And thank you for submitting an outline for her deck. That really helps out here.) And she's normal, that's the thing, she normal! A regular 14 year old girl who is 'Stubborn, extremely sarcastic, she is a pessimist at times, rude, but she will be there for her friends. Though it usually takes her a while to make them.' Now that is no Mary-Sue right there and it gives me an advantage to flex her a bit and not keep her as straight as a board. She is a good contestant that isn't easy to ignore. Thank you for reviewing! And please review again! HEHE! HAHA! ^____________________^ Yes, I am on a Sugar Rush today.

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A/N: Okay! Enough idle chitchat, let's get the show moving!!!!! HAHAHA!

  
**Jump**

Ushima Unleashed. Her Plans and the Unsure Future...

Bakura heard the sound of a gunshot as he watched the knife fall closer and closer to him aimed directly at his heart. Suddenly something ricocheted off of the blade and changed its direction to his arm.

The knife cut into his arm as the wound started to bleed severely. Bakura looked around to see what was it that hit the knife and presumably saved his life. He found it. A bullet. The spirit knew that the bullet had to have been fired by a gun, common sense, but Odion was out cold and Naomi...

The Spirit of the Ring turned his head to see Naomi holding a gun she had gotten from a nearby drawer that was pulled out. Her eyes emotionless and dreary. 

"Idiot." Naomi said, licking her lips. "You blundering albino idiot. I told you to run... Idiot." She looked at him and smiled slightly, letting the darkness consume her finally. She did what she needed to do. Now it was up to him and her friends to stop Marik now.

Marik sneered and jammed the knife back into its sheath. "Foolish girl." He said and turned to walk away. He unlocked the door and walked out, locking it again as he went. "Don't worry Bakura, I'll get you. You can count on that." He said before closing the door.

Bakura swallowed and sighed. This girl had saved him. This mortal girl saved him! What an outrage! He couldn't even defend himself and had to retort to that girl saving him. He was pissed. He wanted to forget what just happened. His Item's powers wouldn't have worked on this Marik. He could sense that. Bakura snorted. He despised anyone else looking out for him. But then again, even though he was a tomb robber, he still had a code of honor. This girl saved his life, and as much as he loathed this, he had to at least help her get out of this predicament. Besides, he wouldn't be doing this only because he wanted to repay her...he also wanted to have his revenge against Marik, and maybe claim all seven items in the process. Who said you couldn't kill three birds with one stone?

Bakura heard footsteps outside and kept quiet. 'It's probably her friends, Tiki, Kurt, and Jake.' He thought to himself and stood up, pressing his hands against his wound to stop the bleeding as best he could, his had already soaked with blood. The tomb robber walked over to some drawers and began searching for a first aid kit or something like that to stop the bleeding. It would probably be a while before those kids got in there anyway. He misjudged.

The door busted open moments later as Tiki, Kurt, and Jake staggered in. Bakura found the first aid kit and sat down in the chair Malik occupied only ten minutes before.

"Naomi!" All three cried as they saw their friend tied to a chair, unconscious. They ran over to her and shook her hard. She didn't wake up.

"Naomi! Naomi! Speak to me!" Tiki cried fearfully as Bakura turned to them, who they had just noticed was in there.

"She's not there." He said simply as Tiki stormed over to him.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER YOU--" She ran over to Bakura and attempted to grab him, she missed with one quick movement on Bakura's part and ran straight into the wall. "--Ow..."

"I did not do anything to her, mortal." He retorted, biting off the access bandage tape he used to cover his gash. He spit it out. "And don't you think I did either." He warned. "I was almost in the same boat as her, she--" He cut himself off abruptly and stood up. "--I have no time for you." 

"Oh yes you do!" Jake said, running in front of the doorway. "You do have time for us. If you don't, my fist will be planted in your cheek." He threatened.

Bakura folded his arms. Such a hollow threat. "Yes, and your mind will be in the Shadow Realm if you lay one finger on me." He snapped back and tapped his foot impatiently. 

Kurt looked at him strangely. "How did you get that cut?" He finally noticed the bandage on Bakura's arm the middle already stained with red.

The Spirit snorted, "The same way Naomi's mind took a trip to the Shadow Realm fool. The Millennium Rod."

"But-But, Malik isn't suppose to hurt you...unless..." Tiki's eyes widened. 

"What?" Bakura snapped.

Jake realized this too. "Marik..."

The evil spirit raised an eyebrow and said sarcastically, "Really? And how would you have guessed?"

Tiki gave him her own death glare. "Stop acting so smart." Her eyes softened. "But we can save her, right?"

Bakura nodded shortly.

Jake clenched his fists. "If only Yugi would have listened this wouldn't have happened..." He said through gritted teeth.

Now Bakura looked interested. "Aye? You say this is Yugi's fault? It could be, yes."

"No, it is." Jake assured. "And he will pay."

Bakura just looked at him; a small smile crept upon his face. He could use this situation to his advantage after all. "And how are you going to 'Make him pay'?"

Jake and Tiki looked straight into his eyes. "Join Battle City. Defeat all in our paths till we rescue Naomi by beating Marik."

Kurt shrugged, "I can't duel. So I'll watch over Naomi and carry her around and such. We can't just leave her here. I wouldn't allow that anyway."

"I will help you out then." Bakura shrugged. "Naomi saved my life, and even though I am a tomb robber, I do have a code that I follow. I'll help out." He grinned inwardly as the others nodded.

Kurt looked at all of them, untying Naomi and picking her up. "Then let's get some duel disks and make those finals!" They all raced out of the door, Bakura going last.

Bakura took one last look at the bullet on the ground and headed his own way.

Battle City, look out. The future has changed, for good. 

*****

They had all thought up a plan and now were fixing to go separate ways to find a weak duelist and... steal their duel disks. The group, minus Bakura, all went to the Motou's Game Shop, getting Naomi's God Cards she had shown to the group at school.

Jake looked wearily at the God Osirus in his hand. "D-Do you really think we should use these? What if we can't control them?"

Tiki shrugged, scavenging through Naomi's school briefcase to find Naomi's deck. She would use Naomi's so she will be reminded every second who she was dueling for. And besides, her deck was at home.

"I don't know Jake. Remember, these are Naomi's God Cards, not the God Cards that are here. They should obey us, her friends." Tiki pointed out as both boys nodded. "I will get the God of Ra, and Bakura-"

Kurt interrupted. "WAIT! You say Bakura gets a God Card?! That's insane Tiki! What if he decides to turn on us?" He pointed out as Jake nodded.

"Yeah Tiki...What if?"

Tiki rolled her eyes. "What if we all die tomorrow? What if this is all a dream? What if the sky falls on us? What if's can never be denied nor explained as facts. I say we should just give this one to him because...well. I believe we can trust him y'all. I really think we can."

"I hope your right Tiki, for not our sakes, but the whole worlds.." Kurt sighed.

"I don't care what happens to this world anymore, none of us should."-Jake nodded at this-"This isn't our world and we shouldn't be the ones to save it. All we need to do is bring Naomi back and find out a way to leave this nightmare." Tiki said, finally finding Naomi's cards and holding them tightly. "Let's just duel our way. Any way possible. As long as Naomi can come back."

"Yeah!" Jake agreed and shuffled his cards. He shoved them into his pocket as they walked out of the Game Shop, bidding farewell to Mr. Motou and leaving to their own separate ways. 

Jake sighed; he would have to retort back to his own ways if he wanted to save Naomi. He was going to have to do this his way. Really, he wasn't the goody-two-shoes character that everyone thought he was and Kurt was the only one who knew that. But to save Naomi, he would become the character he was long ago, again...

Kurt looked back to the other two who were disappearing into the evening. "I just hope we're doing the right thing here..." He sighed, still carrying Naomi. Kurt decided to head straight for the stadium where the blimp would be landing, wondering about all that was in store for them, and looking at the girls that passed by. He sighed.

This looked more like war as every second passed.

*****

Ushima leaned against the wall, humming to her devious self**. (A/N: Did you really think I forgot about her? **:)**)** She took out a fingernail filer and started to file her claw-like nails. This was all going according to plan, oh yes, all according to plan. Malik's dark self was out and now it was her turn to step in.

The woman flicked her hair back as she heard footsteps walking towards her. She had a cane that leaned against the wall beside her for support when she walked sometimes, but mostly because of the handy dandy deluxe pullout sword!

The footsteps echoed down the darkened alleyway as a man came into view. He had white-silverish hair that stuck out in all directions and a Ra emblem on his forehead, glowing ominously.

Ushima looked at the man as he passed. Suddenly she shot her cane in front of the man, causing him to halt. "Hold on there Marik." 

The man looked at her, eyeing her up and down. "What do you want?" He asked as the lady just smiled crookedly.

"I am-"

"Ushima, I know. My other has sent you to the Realm of Darkness may times before. If you don't get out of my way, I'll do worse." He said coolly as Ushima shrugged and let down her cane.

"Fine. You seem to be in a hurry. Why?" She toyed with him.

Marik snorted and took out his Rod. "Leave me Ushima or-"

Ushima flashed six locator cards in front of him. "What? Do you care to have these? I only have six, all for you. Besides, I sure you need them."

"What do I have to do to get them?"

"Nothing, nothing at all. Just win this tournament and plunge the world into darkness is all that I ask of you." She smirked, twirling her hair around. Now it is time to set her plan into motion. "I merely want to see the world cower in fear before I leave this world and go back home-Oops. That must have slipped." She said rather playfully.

"Other worlds? Like where that girl is from, the same girl that I imprisoned in the Darkness Realm?" Marik asked.

"Oh yes, there are lots of others too. More than your wildest dreams can ever imagine. I have seen many in my lifetime. And my lifetime has been over the course of, say, a couple thousand years. I have knowledge no one would even think of in the next Millennium or two." Ushima closed her eyes. "But this one world is only a stepping stone for all of the other worlds out there."

"How so?"

"Imagine dominos. Think of each domino as a separate world with separate powers and beings. This world is only one domino, the first one. Now set the dominos up in any pattern. Knock the first domino down, the rest follow, yes?"

Marik's face became twisted in a frenzied smile. "Yes, the rest follow suit. If you knock one down, the rest follow. That means total chaos."

Ushima nodded approvingly. "And then we two could rise up and take order of all the worlds, rule supreme forever."

Marik thought for a second. "And why would you want to do this?"

Ushima laughed, "Ah Marik, I want vengeance on all who cast me aside and shoved me away. Once this world is complete, I will--I mean We, we will move onto that fool's, Naomi's, world and let it crumble into a heap of dust. From there, it doesn't matter." She smiled dauntingly. "It is a proposition for you that is not easily refused you know. This can be a chance of a lifetime here Marik. See, I also know the events of Battle City, even the changed Battle City."

Marik looked at her in disbelief. "How woman?"

Ushima laughed elegantly, leaning back against the wall, "That is for me to know, and you to never know. I have my insides on things to you know Marik." She looked at Marik, who seemed to be thinking. _Come on you fool, take it! Take the bait!_ "Is it a deal then?" She held out her hand.

Marik looked at her hand. This was a once in a lifetime thing. Besides, she could be of help to him later, why not? 

He took her hand. "Deal."

Ushima laughed inwardly.

_This is easier than I thought..._

*****

Tiki looked around for a weak duelist to beat up and snatch the disk from. She didn't have to. A duelist had taken off his disk and was now enjoying a nice relaxing sit down on a bench.

Tiki grinned and raced forward towards the duelist. With one easy motion she snatched the disk, spun around, and raced off in a different direction.

The duelist just sat there dumbstricken and befuddled.

"He he!" Tiki said victorious and slipped the duel disk on. She took out Naomi's deck from her pocket and held it tightly. "Don't worry Naomi. I'll get your mind back. I swear!" She shoved the deck into the slot and walked down an alleyway. Tiki had also managed to swipe a locator card she had pilfered from another duelist. Who said pick pocketing didn't come in handy?

The Jamaican ventured down the alleyway as she heard footsteps coming up behind her. She turned around to see the albino looking down on her. "Oh, it's just you..." She breathed as Bakura sneered.

"What are you doing over here?" He asked looking down at her duel disk. "And how did you manage to get that already? I would have guessed you couldn't even swipe one." He smirked.

Tiki shrugged. "It's amazing what all you can do. I just ran up and stole it from a guy who set his disk down for a moment to rest. Simple." She shrugged. "How did you get yours?"

Bakura sneered, "I wonder..." He pointed back down the alleyway where a guy was on his bum, dumbfounded.

"Ah. You forced him. Good choice..." She patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't touch me."

"Sorry..." Tiki cleared her throat and started to walk away. She waved bye. "See ya on the blimp." She said and disappeared down the alleyway.

"The.... Blimp?" Bakura blinked then shook his head. "Anyways, who shall be my first victim?"

Tiki ran down the alleyway, looking left and right. Not even thinking to look in front of her when suddenly she ran into someone. "Ow!!" She cried, falling to the ground. "Watch where you're going!"

"Same to you!" Shot the other person. The got up and started to walk off again.

Tiki looked at him. He was a duelist!! It was her lucky day! She stood up quickly, "I challenge you go a duel!" She pointed as the man turned around, looking at her oddly.

"O...kay."

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah..." He said unsurely, gulping at Tiki's enthusiasm.

"All right. Time to get to business!" They both activated their duel disks and began to duel.

*****

Jake decided to walk down to the ocean again to...check up on his ex-best friends. He made his way to the pier, just in time to see Kaiba leave with Mokuba. He despised this world more and more by the second now.

"Hey! Jake!" Tea waved as Jake came strolling up, his hands shoved into his pockets.

Jake just looked at her and walked on. 

"What's wrong Jake?" Tristan asked walking up to the blue headed boy, stopping him. "You seem down."

Jake sucked on his teeth for a moment, rocking back and forth on his heels. "You can say I am down. But that is hardly the words to put my emotions in." He said dryly and walked on.

"Then what's da matter?" Joey asked, still drying out his shirt from the plunged underwater about thirty minutes ago.

Jake turned to face him and shrugged. "Ask Yugi if you want to know. He knows all about it." He closed his eyes. "Or maybe he didn't listen."

Yugi looked puzzled, "What do you mean Jake? About Naomi? But wasn't she just missing?-"

"-No. She wasn't just missing. She was kidnapped. There is a difference. We 

found her, if you would like to know of course. But we didn't find all of her though..." Jake looked to the ground.

Mai stepped up, "What do you mean...'not all of her?'" She asked, seemingly disgusted, turning pale in the face. "Do you mean she was-"

"No. She is still intact but..." He decided for them to figure it out. "Listen go figure what I mean. Tell me when you have a clue. But right now. I have a duel disk to swipe, a blimp to catch, and a tournament to win." He snickered slightly. "And if any of you get in my way. I will destroy you. This is war for me now. I have no friends. I have no greater foe either." He glowered at them, his eyes seemingly black and threatening. With that to leave them puzzling, he walked away, to go swipe a duel disk and do some changing of his own.

Joey blinked, "Is it just me...or did I miss sometin'?" He asked as the rest just shook their heads, too befuddled to comprehend anything at the moment.

****

To Be Continued...

A/N: Ha! You made it through the chapter! Congrats! Sooo, the plot is FINALLY unfolding! And Tiki, Jake, and Kurt and walking right into the middle of it! Didn't that girl in Naomi's dreams say that she needed to keep a close eye on them, or they would all fall? Well, Naomi failed the job and now they are in over their heads! Who will help them stop Ushima from her plan to destroy all worlds? I hope someone will!

** **

REVIEW! Simon says review! HEHE!


	10. And This is What Made the Series Famous

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A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I decided to be nice and post on New Year's Day!! I hope everyone got what they wanted for Christmas. I know I did!! Did anyone watch the ball drop?? I did!!! It's a tradition. Anyway, let's get to the Ode to Reviewers, shall we?

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Ode to Reviewers

Kiasa and her Yami Kanou- Might be changing your screen name, huh? Wings of Shadow is a really good name. ^_^ I like anything with Shadow in it. It makes it sound majestic and blissful--kinda. I hope you like this chapter!! ^_^ It took me a while to write this when I did write it. Couldn't get the best way to introduce Jaken in…grr -_-;; ENJOY!!

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Joeyz girl- 0.o I didn't notice that if a reviewer had already reviewed for that number of Chapter, they couldn't review again. Oops. But I think they changed that after you reviewed. It said something about that on the main screen. I like Ushima. She is a key point in this plot. ^_^ And I like Jaken having an alternate personality sorta. Is he gonna keep it, or crack? ^_~ I have no clue. (I managed to refuse the eyes for a while…but broke on January 1st, the day I updated.

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Dreamer Unknown- A NEWBEE!! I am soo honored to be the 1st one on your fav. List!! I am so honored!! I like Kurt too. He is the softy-yet tough at times guy. That's what I like about him too. Thanks for liking the aspect of Jaken having an alternate personality from what he portrayed. Review again!! ^_^

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Hyper Hikari- *mutters* You hate Naomi and Tiki…no fair. *sniff* Naomi didn't mean to say 'idiot' to Bakura…*sniff* And Tiki got Ra, yes she did. But it doesn't mean she's going to keep it, no does it?? And 'Kura got a God Card!! Obilisk the Tormentor! That is an awesome card! It's my favorite! But it doesn't mean he's going to keep the card. I don't know if Bakura will win in the preliminaries. *_* I have no clue. I haven't gotten that far yet. But he ain't going to duke it out with Tiki, that's for sure. I'm aiming to have Obilisk fight Obilisk in the preliminaries. *hinthint* Who knows who could win…*smirks* Gotta find out, now won't ya! ^_~ Happy late Christmas too. And HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

****

NOW!! ONTO THE STORY!!

Jump

Let's Duel!

Kurt arrived at the stadium, making sure not to cause the slightest sound, for Kaiba might just call security since he was down on the field, waiting for the other finalists.

A million questions were running through his head. What if Tiki and Jake didn't make it to the finals? What if he was stuck here alone with a mindless Naomi? What if Jake goes back to...no. He wouldn't think that way. But it was possible. It was so possible now. Now that one of his friends was in trouble.

Kurt sniffed, trying to hold back a sneeze. He hated dust. It always got everywhere. Always. He rubbed his nose, trying to stop that sensation of sneezing. He couldn't.

"AAAACHOOOOOO!!!"

Kaiba looked around the stadium. He thought he heard something.

"What is it Mr. Kaiba?" One of the Suits asked.

Kaiba replied, "Turn on the stadium lights. I thought I heard someone. No one is suppose to be here except for the finalists. Search the perimeter. See if you find an intruder." He ordered.

"Yes sir." Another Suit said and disappeared through the entrance.

Kurt sniffed, rubbing his nose. "I hate places like this....to much dust man..." He said quietly, hearing a suit coming his way. "Crap!" He cursed to himself picking up Naomi, and tried to get out of this space he was in.

"I thought I heard someone! Over here!" A voice shouted.

Men started to pop up everywhere, surrounding Kurt.

"Uh-Oh..." Kurt gulped as ten flashlights were shone at him. "Hehe...um...I'm just waiting for someone?" He smiled the I-Am-In-So-Mush-Trouble-And-I-Will-Get-My-Butt-Chewed smile and sulked back.

"Hold it right there boy. Don't move. What are you doing here?" One man asked. 

Kurt gulped.

"Come on out of there. Mister Kaiba will want a word with you." Said another.

Kurt's knees began to shake.

"Get out now!!" Commanded another.

Kurt's legs were giving way.

"NOW!!!" Shouted another.

Kurt fainted.

The Suits blinked. 

"Bob, did we just scare him so much to make him faint?" One man asked.

"I don't know Billy. But lets just get him down there to Mister Kaiba. He will want to know who we have found." Said Bob. He and Billy picked Kurt up and carried him down to the field. Two other Suits were carrying Naomi.

Kaiba turned to see his Suits carrying two teenagers. "So those where the ones I heard?" He asked as the Suits nodded. 

"Yes sir!"

Seto snorted, "Keep them here until I figure out what to do with them."

The Suits obeyed and set them down. They walked away.

Kurt suddenly came around. "WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHERE? IS ANYTHING ON FIRE?!!"

Kaiba jumped a few feet panicky, then straightened himself out quickly, hoping no one saw him jump. He muttered something dark incoherently as the first figures appeared at the entrance.

Kurt looked on, the silhouette looked very familiar. But the figure's cloths where all black, like a goth almost, but not really. He had a silver dragon necklace around his neck and a long flowing black trench coat. His hair was blue and his eyes, a deeper blue, almost black. 

The surfer gasped. This is what he had been fearing. This is what he had help this figure overcome two years ago. Kurt shook his head, clenching his fists in the process. This was going too far.

Out of the shadowed doorway stepped Jaken, his dark blue eyes bleak and shadowy, some unseen malevolent cloud circling around him. He took long, deep strides towards Kaiba. His silver bracelets clinking together, rattling. He stopped in front of Kaiba and showed him his six locator cards.

"I believe I can participate in the finals?" Jaken asked with an eyebrow raised.

One of Seto Kaiba's Suits came up to him and took the locator cards. "Yes sir, you are the second participant that has shown up for the finals. You should be proud." The man shuffled through his pockets until he found some cards. "May I ask your name?"

Jake looked at him, "My name is Raven, call me Raven."

Kurt's mouth dropped, there it was. Raven. His old name he had adopted long ago and threw it away when Kurt knocked some sense into him. Jaken-err-Raven, two years ago or so, he was a merciless teenager who didn't care about no one or nothing, not even himself. He always use to steal and plunder, sneak into bars illegally, and always skip classes. He was failing in everything. Like he didn't care about life anymore. Kurt, when he became Jake's-Raven's-best friend, he pulled him out of that slowly. But now, it has gone to the dogs once more, and I don't mean Joey either.

The man gave him a qualifying card. "Alright Mr. Raven, wait here for the other finalist to come."

Raven nodded and took the locator card. He shoved it into the pocket on his coat and walked over to Kurt and Naomi, who was on the ground. "How is she?" He asked dryly with little emotion.

Kurt looked at his best friend, "Wha-What happened to you Jake? I thought you-"

"I had no other choice. If I didn't change back to my old self, I would never win against Marik. No matter how hard I tried. It is just best this way. No feelings, no emotions for you enemy. No time to rethink anything. No goody love or hope for that matter either." He stated coldly, a dark aurora could be sensed around him.

The surfer shook his head, "Your making the wrong choice dude-" He said, deciding to change the subject quickly with one death glare from Raven. And Raven had the father of all death glares, like a chilling vampire stare, and only a few can pull those off. "-Naomi's doing fine I guess. Not changed one bit though. Wouldn't expect she would have."

Raven only snorted and looked back to the entranceway, hearing voices. 

"Haha! We made it here Yugi!" Joey stated proudly, holding up his six locator cards and marching forward.

"I don't see how we can duel here," Mia said, "This place isn't even finished." She looked around.

The all spotted Kurt and waved. Kurt waved back as Raven shot him another death glare. Kurt lowered his hand slowly and sulked backwards, away from Raven.

The group had no idea who the other guy was, until the got a look at his eyes.

"That's Jake!" Exclaimed Tea as Yugi and Joey exchanged their locator cards for the qualifying card. "But why is he dressed so differently?" 

"Go figure." Raven retorted.

Serenity noticed a girl laying on the ground behind the two boys. "Joey, who is that girl?" 

Joey looked at Naomi, his eyes widened. "T-That's...Naomi..." Now at least he understood why Jake was so upset earlier. Naomi was unconscious or something. He elbowed Yugi. "Hey Yug, do you see Naomi?"

Yugi looked to where Joey had pointed. His eyes widened also. "N-Naomi....?" He asked shocked as Kurt just looked to the ground. He looked at Jake. "So it...was an emergency?" He asked as Raven nodded.

"Yes. And thanks to you, she is not all quite here."

"In meaning?" Tristan asked as Yugi answered.

"Tristan, her mind...is in the Shadow Realm." 

This fact hit everyone, but Kaiba and Raven, hard in the head. Even Mokuba looked surprised at this, even though he had never known her.

Tea bit her lip. "Kurt? Is Yugi right?"

"Right as rain Tea. We were too late. The future changed-" Raven butted in.

"-The future changed. I am participating in this tournament. I am not suppose to. Odion is, but it seems as though he won't be waking up for a while. And-"

"-And...." Came a very mystic voice from the entrance of the stadium. A Jamaican with shoulder length dreadlocks came walking in. She had on an orange tank top, orange arm warmers (it was quite cold), orange shorts, orange legs warmers, and an orange bandana in her hair. She also had sandals on. "I am participating too."

"Tiki?" Came a murmur of voices from the crowd as Tiki exchanged her six locator cards for a qualification card.

"Hmm? Oh, only you." She said non-enthusiastically, which was very unlike her. "Hi. Glad you could come. You know, this tournament will be very thrilling. But I won't care." She shrugged and walked over to Naomi. She knelt down and took the bandana from her hair.

"What are ya doing?" Joey blinked as Tiki totally ignored him.

Tiki undid her bandana, tying it around her neck instead. She then slung Naomi's bandana over her head and tied it into a doo-rag on her head. She sighed and straightened her arm warmers out. "Cold, ain't it?"

Everyone else just nodded. Boy was Tiki and Jake taking this seriously. But who wouldn't? They were fighting for a friend's mind that was trapped. They had to go through every extreme to win. Even if it meant giving themselves up to their past.

Tiki use to be just another face in the crowd, doing what everyone else had instructed her to do. This caused her to lose some of her bliss, not to mention that her father had deserted her and her mother as well. Tiki use to have to take care of the whole family and always relied on faith and family to pull her through. She still did today, and still does. But now, she only had one thing on her mind, to bring Naomi's mind back. Her best friend. She always kept a promise to a friend, and she always will. Even now.

Raven looked at Tiki. "If Bakura comes, we give him the card?"

"Yes Jaken. We do. And he will come. Watch."

Bakura walked along the streets, admiring his easy-to-win six locator cards. He was thinking, thinking up a plan to both help those fools and claim all seven items. This was hard though. But not hard enough for the tomb robber.

The spirit walking into the entrance of the stadium. This was it. Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around to meet face to face with Marik and a lady behind him Marik who had long black hair and dark eyes. She kept to herself.

Marik grinned and walked right past him. "I would have figured you would be long gone by now."

Bakura just snorted and walked into the middle of the stadium where the others were already. Marik and the lady closely followed.

Raven turned to see both Bakura and Marik step into the stadium with a lady behind them. He could feel the tension from his friends. The eight duelists have arrived. This was it. Time to get psyched up. But who already wasn't?

Kurt turned to see both Bakura and Marik walk into the stadium at the same time along with a lady? Yes, a lady in the background. She must be with Marik.. 'Uh-Oh, both of them walking in together. I got a bad feeling about this...' He gulped and elbowed Tiki, who was staring off into space.

Tiki turned her head to see the last finalist as well. "It begins..." He muttered as one of Kaiba's Suits, Roland, stepped forward. **(A/N: Seriously, that IS his name...)**

Roland took the two's locator cards and exchanged them with qualification cards. Then he cleared his throat. "Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to the Battle City finals! Now, as you know, this stadium is not yet complete. We are not dueling here-"

"-Then where are we dueling?" Interrupted Mia.

Roland tapped his foot impatiently. "I'm getting to that Miss."

"Well, excuse me!"

Roland cleared his throat. "Anyway, the place you will be dueling at will be here shortly-"

"-Look!" Serenity shouted as a huge blimp appeared in the sky. It landed in the stadium and opened it's doors.

Roland looked on impatiently. He tightened his tie. "Please do stop interrupting me-"

"Is there food on this ship?" Interrupted Joey.

Roland's eye began to twitch. "SHUT UP!!" He yelled as everyone backed away from him, slowly. "Anyway, you will be dueling on that ship. Yes there is five course buffet and living quarters. Please board."

Tiki shook her head amusingly and stepped onto the platform to get on. She turned back and sighed. She was the one taking Ishizu's place. The Jamaican walked into the blimp, followed by Kurt carrying Naomi.

Jake-Raven- boarded next. He walked on in long strides, daring not to look back. He was taking Odion's place. Oh joy.

Next came the peanut gang, the Exorcist and his sidekick, and Mr. Grinch himself followed by his fateful dog-err brother.

Bakura came last. He looked up at the blimp. "So this is what Tiki meant by 'see you on the blimp'..." He murmured to himself and stepped aboard. "I hate heights. Why does Ra have to curse me like this?"

~*~

Tiki walked down the blimp's hallway, looking for her room. "405...406...407..Ah! Here we go-" She looked back to see Raven following her. "Oh, hi Jake. What brings you here?" 

Raven shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe a certain girl called Naomi-"

"I get it. That was asked rhetorically. Want to come in?"

Raven nodded as Tiki pushed open the door. He walked in first. 

Tiki began walking into the room as a voice yelled, "Tiki!"

The age old**(A/N: I just love putting the 'age old' part in there...*clears throat*)** pharaoh walked quickly up to her.

"And what do you want Yami?" Tiki asked, shutting the door quickly so Jake wouldn't be tempted to lunge at him. "You know-"

"Listen, I know. I-I'm sorry Tiki, I'm sorry that my head was stuck in the duel and I didn't listen to Jake. This is my fault."

"Heck yeah it is." Tiki retorted. "Listen. I know that you are sorry and all, who wouldn't be. But apologizing doesn't do anything now, now does it? Unless you can do like Cher and 'Turn Back Time' like in her song." Tiki laughed quietly. "This mess will get screwed up-I mean fixed as time goes along, I hope. But just listen to this."

"What?"

Tiki said this very slowly. "Get your head out of the duels sometimes. There are lots of other things to do. Like for instance, I bet you have never even been to a football game, have you?" 

"Foot...ball?" Yami cocked his head as Tiki slapped her forehead.

"Never mind....that was suppose to be a rhetorical question...But my point is, is that just do something else for a change. If anything, play a different card game at least. Like Spades or even Slap Jack. Go Fish would even do. Those are cool games too you know. They do have some competition too. Or just pick up a board game like Monopoly and just sit down and play for two hours or so. Games have a wide variety you know." 

As Tiki finished, Joey and everyone else was listening to her, and I mean everyone.

"And that goes for the rest of ya! When this is all through, I'm teachin' y'all how to play"-Tiki's door opened and Raven looked out. He grabbed her ear.- "Rummy!!!" He pulled hard, yanking her into the room. Raven slammed the door behind him and sighed.

"And I told you we were suppose to be mad at them!"

Tiki looked at him and smiled awkwardly, grimacing at the pain of her ear. "Umm...Sorry? Hehe...." 

Jake's right eyelid twitched as he let the Jamaican's ear go. He glared at her for a minute, turned and sat down on the bed, waiting for Kaiba to announce the lotto draw for the opponents. 

~*~

The Battle Ship's hull rung out with talking and occasionally laughter as everyone sat down for a nice mean. There were all sorts of food from hamburgers to steaks, potatoes to tomatoes, chocolate cakes to strawberry ice cream. Everything was here.

Tiki sat in the corner of the room tapping her spoon against the table. She wasn't that hungry due to the business at hand. She couldn't see how anyone could seriously eat at this time, except for Joey that is...he could eat through anything.

Jake on the other hand, was casually eating some vanilla ice cream. He was thinking, who would he duel? And would his skills let him beat the other duelist he would face? What if he would face Tiki? He didn't know if he could handle it. Even though Raven was back on the outside, Jaken was still struggling to stay who he was on the inside. And that proved to be a very difficult task.

The last one of the group, Kurt, was walking around, listening in on the conversations, eavesdropping and whistling. He passed Kaiba's table. They, both Kaiba and his brother, were quiet. Usual for them actually. But Seto's eyes followed Kurt around and Kurt could feel he was being watched. Kurt hated that feeling, but decided to ignore it. Then he pasted Joey's table who had about five more chairs pulled up for all of his friends, Yugi, Tea, Tristan, Duke, and Serenity of course, not to mention Mia. They stopped their conversation as soon as Kurt got close to them. He quickly backed away and decided to have a chat with Bakura...bad idea.

"So...Bakura..." Kurt sat down the seat opposite of Bakura at an isolated table. "How do you plan to-"

"Go away mortal." Bakura shot him a glare and closed his eyes. He leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up. "I'm thinking."

Kurt snorted. "Fine then Mister I-Better-Than-Everyone-Else. I'll go." Kurt stomped away to Tiki and Jake's table. He sat down and sighed. "How come no one likes us?"

Tiki looked at the surfer. She laced her fingers together, resting her hands on them. "Gee, go figure Kurt. Maybe we were the ones that made them not like us. But it's their own fault." She shrugged and leaned back in her chair.

Kurt snorted and crossed his arms. "Well, excuse me. I'm not the one that reckoned that we should have even joined this tournament."

Raven looked at him, "Well, we did and that's that."

Kurt sighed inwardly. "I guess that's right."

After a while, Roland's voice blasted through the speakers. "All duelists please report to the lotto area for the drawing." He said. There was a loud beep and the speakers frayed and died.

The trio stood up. "Guess we should go then?" Tiki asked as Jaken nodded. Kurt only looked on worriedly.

"When are you going to give the card to Bakura?" Kurt asked as Bakura walked up behind him unexpected.

"Boo." The spirit hissed as Kurt jumped and ran behind Jaken. Bakura laughed his creepy Bakura laugh, then looked at Tiki. "What were you saying about giving me a card?" He crossed his arms as he raised an eyebrow.

Kurt and Jaken both turned their gaze to Tiki as the fumbled around in her pockets. Tiki was having last minute thoughts about this now. Maybe Kurt was right. Maybe the spirit will turn on them in the end and just use them for his own purposes. But then a surge of confidence rose up inside of her. Bakura wouldn't do something like that, not after Naomi saved him from Marik, that's for sure. But oh, how he would...

Tiki pulled out the card and handed it to him. Bakura's eyes widened. "Here Bakura, take this for the duration of the tournament, you might need it, just to secure your place in the finals maybe. Or a better chance anyway." Tiki bit her lip as the spirit took it.

The tomb robber looked at it amazed. "Obelisk the Tormentor..." He breathed as Tiki nodded. "How...?"

"It was Naomi's. Kaiba still has his and so does everyone else. Now the only two who don't have a God card are Joey and Mia." Tiki stated indefinitely. Bakura nodded and laid it with his other cards.

After a second of standing, one of Kaiba's suits called to them and they followed him to the area for the lotto. Everyone was there, it was the big moment to see if it would go the television way, or the unfathomed, derailed way that would lead to the unknown nobody knew.

Every Duelist was given a number. 1)Joey 2)Bakura 3)Yugi 4)Mia 5)Raven 6)Kaiba 7)Tiki ("Hey! Why do I have to be last?") The lotto machine started the game. The numbers rolled around again and again until the first ball was caught be the Blue Eyes head. It rolled down the chute and landed in the tray. There was an unnerving pause.

Roland cleared his throat. "The first one to duel is...Number Three! Yugi Motou!"

The trio of friends exchanged unnerving glances. This WAS going to go as planned in the series, wasn't it? They hoped not. They really did. Tiki bit her nail as Kurt pulled on his hair. Raven stood there as calm as a cucumber, but he was twitching, twitching his fingers and his eyebrows. Not on purpose either.

The second ball was caught by the Blue Eyes head. It rolled down the chute and landed in the other tray. There was a second pause. Momentum building up. Seconds seemed like hours. Waiting, waiting for the right moment.

Roland looked at the numbers, he faced the crowd. "The Duelist who will be bitted against Yugi Motou is..." 

~*~

Naomi looked around the dark and clammy space. A slight sliver ran up her spine as the moans of long forgotten souls drifted through the air, engulfing her in eerie silence. She gulped as a tear slid down her cheek. 

This is what that shadow, that girl in the shadows had said. This is what the Shadow Realm looked like. A dark desert with screams filling the air and moans of long forgotten souls. It was wretched. But if this girl in the shadows had been right bout this place, was she also right about the warning? The warning to stay close to her friends and never lose sight of them, for if she did, they would try and pick the world up on their shoulders and carry it. But the world isn't suppose to be carried by one person, but everyone, the whole world.

"Tiki? Kurt?....Jake?" She shuddered at a laughter that was hollow and panic-stricken. Another tear slid down her cheek. "Anybody?" 

Not a sound.

Naomi looked down at her pale white hands. She'd never have dreamed that she would be in the Shadow Realm when she was back home, watching all of this from a TV screen. Did her obsession go too far? Does obsession go too far?

Usually she would laugh every time one was sent to the Realm of Darkness for it lightened her up. Not anymore. Now she was the victim in this cruel magic. The magic that can either save or destroy the world, any world, if given the chance. Naomi knew she was surrounded by darkness, not a single etch of light to show. The eerie purple mist rolled around her feet as a scream pitched through the darkness. That was normal. Just another lost soul.

Naomi sank to the floor, shivering uncontrollably. Would she be able to come out of this ordeal? Would she be saved? If she did, would she ever recuperate from this suffering, this horrific nightmare that would haunt her thoughts every second of her life? She did not know the answer. 

But Naomi did know, she had said this herself, one to give morals to others in times of need. Her own words, 'In every darkness there is a light, a shimmer of hope that drives you forward, bring you up to your friends and family. This light is hope, and hope should never be forgotten, even in the darkness that is cast around you. If that light of hope expires, so does the future. Never lose faith.'

Naomi remembered, she had said that same thing to Tiki, when Tiki wasn't all there one day. Naomi did want to remember that experience, but she was always there for Tiki and Tiki was always there for her. Tiki nor the others would let her down. 

"Please, come soon guys..." She sniffed.

Another scream filled the air.

"Before I loose it here. I gotta go pee...bad."

~*~

Roland looked at the number on the ball, then turned to face the audience. "The Duelist who will be facing off against Yugi Motou is...." The trio turned to Bakura, who was behind them, looking on intently. "Duelist number 5...Raven!"

It took a moment to realize that Roland had called his name before Jaken realized it was him. He blinked and turned towards Yugi. "Already?" He whispered quietly as Roland addressed the audience again, but the words passed right through Jake's ears. He was gonna duel someone who he wanted to, but something-

"Hey Jake, your dueling 'em..." Tiki turned to her friend. "Hate to say it, but glad I'm not. I couldn't." She smiled and hugged Jake. "Good luck buddy."

Kurt patted Jake on the back. "Yeah. Hope you....umm..." He didn't want to say lose because a part of him did want Jaken to lose, so that this tournament would at least go halfway planned. "...not make the wrong decision." He finished as Roland led the two duelists towards the elevator to the top.

The two duelists boarded and the elevator doors closed. Raven shifted uncomfortably with Yami staring straight at him. Finally he got up the nerve. "Can you stop that!"

Yami looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "What are you talking about?"

Raven just peered at him. "Stop staring. It's rude." Yami was just about to say something back when the elevator reached the top and the doors swung open.

The two duelists stepped onto the platform and it raised into the air. Everyone else were just arriving, everyone on one side, and Kaiba and his brother on the other. Great arrangement. Talk about your well balanced blimp...down comes the Hindonburg.

The two duelist activated their disks. Raven gulped fear rattling around inside of him. Fear that he might lose. But he stood tall, as tall as he could as Yami just took an almost arrogant pose. Typical. The two got ready.

"Let's Duel!"

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A/N: Well? How did ya like it?? Remember! Next Chapter the new characters come in!!! Be prepared for a wild ride!! Literally. ^_^

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R&R!!!


	11. The Wheelchair Express Takes Victims

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A/N: Okay!! This is the chapter most of you have been waiting for!! This is the chapter where everything goes down hill and wheels go flying! Now put on your reading glasses and get ready! This is the start of three brand new characters!!

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A/N: Now, I know that I won't get the characterization perfect, but please work with me on the two new characters--one is my own. I went by the description you gave me (the lucky two) and added some descriptions too. Put in some humor wisecrack and things will get messy. So work with me, please? ^_~

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A/N: So grab your bags and get ready! The Wheel Chair Express is at it again!

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Jump

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I Told You! Never Take the Wheel Chair Express!

Michael ran down the mall, "Naomi! Naomi!" He screamed, looking all around. "Where did that knucklehead go?" Michael sighed and stopped for a second. "Nay-Nay's been missing for five days now, along with Tiki. Where are they?" He asked himself, adjusting his silver-brimmed glasses and looking around. "Not one trace of them."

The boy scrunched his nose. He was no more than ten, but he sure was a bookworm and a geek in some cases. Short black hair spiked his head and electric green eyes gazed from his spectacles. He wore a very fancy suit, black to match his hair and to spotlight his eyes. But this was his usual appearance, his un-awkward usual appearance.

Michael licked his lips an began to run again. "Naomi! Naomi!" He called out searching everywhere for her. "Mom and Wesley and Evan are really worried! Please show yourself!" Yes, he was the youngest of Naomi's three brothers, Wesley and Evan were twins who had just turned eighteen last month.

"I mean it Hippie! If you don't show yourself, I'll be forced to use my intuition to find you!" He said, a pitiful hollow threat. No good, he couldn't just throw threats, never could. Guess that's why the tyrants at Naomi's school always tried to hire him as a punching bag, but knowing Michael, he was always one step ahead. Two steps if he was using his brain, which a gifted people like him do, never letting one second go to waste.

Michael walked into the same store that Naomi and Tiki were last seen in, SunCoast. Sources had led him here and now all he had to do was ask what happened after they left here and this story would be complete. But not the riddle to where they went.

He walked up to the cashier, which was the same old man that was clerk to Tiki before. 

"May I help you?" He asked with an awkward smile.

"Indeed you may help me. I would like you to recall two customers of yours, hardly easy to forget I'm sure." He had always talked so sophisticatedly, probably because of his genius stature. (Is it coming together now about Michael?) "They were two medium height girls that had come in here about a week ago now, one was a Jamaican, the other was a blonde. Can you evoke on them or do I need to explain them better?" He asked non-emotionally. Always the one with the no emotions around people. Typical Michael.

"Ah yes, I remember those two tikes! They came in here about a week ago now, the Jamaican smashed a DVD and then right after that the security guards started to chase them for some reason. I don't really know why though. They were really nice kids."

Michael fixed his glasses, "Yes they were, now do you know what happened to them besides where they disappeared at? Do you have any idea how to locate them?"

The man suddenly turned serious. "Ah, you are searching for you sister and her friend, I can see it in your eyes. No worries my friend then." He pointed down the mall. "Just keep running down the mall and you will find which you seek." He said definitely.

Michael was skeptical at first, but then a rush of hope flowed through him. He might actually find his sister. So why not trust this old hoot? 

He nodded, racing off down the mall. "Naomi! Naomi! Naomi Mary Rockertale!"

The boy started to descend the stairs to the bottom floor. "Naomi! Naooooo-AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!--OOMPH!!"

Suddenly he plummeted into someone and they went tumbling down the stairs in a mass of rolling colors that went weee! this way and wahhh! that way. Legs whirling and arms flailing and...bags flying?

Pain shot through Leigh as she made her way to the stairs. "Ow....Ow...Ow..." She scowled every time she set one foot in front of the other. Her arms felt like they had stretched the length of the Mississippi River and back.

In her hands were two heavy shopping bags. Christmas time was nearing you know, and the sales were huge. She couldn't pass that up. The bags weighed a ton with all the cloths and breakables in there that had almost broke her (money wise), shaving her hide with the prices.

"And they say that this is the lowest time of the year. Pah!" She scoffed and started to move down the stairs. One foot, that's right, just one foot at a time. She cautioned, taking a step down. "That wasn't too hardddd--AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" She screamed as somebody toppled into her and they came sailing down the stairs in full 

holiday swing, bags flying everywhere and breakables, well, broke.

"NO! NO! No!" The boy screamed, the one who tumbled onto Leigh, as they both flew off the stairs to a fifty foot drop.

Leigh gasped, catching onto the railing as the boy caught onto her pants leg. They hug motionless over the rail, like the slow-mode of The Matrix. She gulped, "This is not good."

The boy grabbed tighter. "I wouldn't think so!" He yelled up to her, trying not to look down. "Just don't look down!"

Leigh looked down, her heart dropping to her feet. "Too late." 

"And after I said not to."

"You really think I listen to you?"

The boy snorted. No comeback there.

"See? No answer." Leigh said, gripping onto the handlebar tighter, feeling the sweat of her palms moisturize the railing, making it as slick as a waxed, spanking new McClarien F50, and believe me, that was slick. "Uh-oh."

"What?" The boy yelled up to the girl. 

"We have a problem."

"I could have assumed that."

"My hand is..." Leigh tried to clutch on tighter, put to no avail. "Slipping." 

"Just don't let go, whatever you do. Don't let..."--The hand slipped--"GOOOOOO!!"

"SORRY!!!" Leigh screamed as they started to plunge to their doom, into a parking lot of wheelchairs. (Is that just a twist of fate or what?)

Abruptly another hand grabbed them from the staircase. "Got ya." A girl with dark musty blonde hair and green eyes that held a blue tint in their sparkle spoke, lips pursed from the strain. "What are you doing hanging around?" She asked, a sarcastic note to her voice.

Both Leigh and the boy sighed, saying "Thank you!" In unison, and that was scary.

The girl grunted. "Don't thank me just yet." She warned, slowly pulling them up. "If you don't mind helping yourselves up too."

Leigh grabbed onto the ledge and pulled herself up as Michael just hung there, helpless, looking down to the bottom floor. Way down at the bottom floor. He never liked heights much.

As soon as they were all up, Leigh looked at the boy. "And what in the heck were you doing! Running into me like that!" She looked around for her possessions. The cloths were scattered and breakables shattered. "I should have your head!"

Michael grimaced at the rage in her voice. "I was just looking for my sister. That's all."

The other girl looked at him strangely. "Say, you wouldn't be looking for that girl and her friend that disappeared her a week ago, are you?" 

Michael nodded.

"It must come hard for you that your sister is gone for good."

Michael's jaw dropped. "She is not GONE!" He yelled. "She's around here somewhere and I'm going to find her!"

The musty haired girl frowned, "You don't have to have a cow over it."

"I'm not, it's just..." Before he could finish what he was saying, a voice rang out over the mall's loudspeakers.

"DISCOUNT CHRISTMAS SHOPPING AT CHIP'S! EVERYTHING FOR ONE DOLLAR!" The voice blared out as a mob came gushing out of the stores, heading towards the elevator, most towards the stairs, the stairs that they were occupying at the moment.

The trio looked at each other. "RUN!" They shouted in unison as the mob swarmed the stairs. The group ran down the two flights of stairs as if their heels were on fire, tripping over each other and scrambling for cover.

"Get outta the way idiot!"

"Well sorry Miss I-Saved-Your-Life-Now-Get-Outta-Mine!" The boy retorted, shoving in front of the girl.

"HEY!" She yanked him by the hair backwards.

"OWWEEEE!!" Michael yelled, pulling back on the girls shirt.

"No Touchee!" She slapped the hand away.

Leigh jumped in front of them both. "Will you two stop bickering and just r--" She nose-dived over of the railings with one trip of the shoelace, grabbing Michael and the other girl in the process as they went screaming down to the bottom floor to the cafe below them.

The trio smashed onto a table that a nice couple had only occupied seconds before, doing the Brittany and Madonna Taste-budder. (French-Kissing)

"OWW!"

"MY GLASSES!"

"IYYEEE!"

A cloud of dust went rolling as the three laid their on top of each other, dazed and disastered. The table in shambles, a nice wooden mess that spread ten feet around them. 

The musty blonde headed girl groaned, "I think I have splinters in my butt."

Michael rubbed his face. "Highly improbable to have splinters there. This is a furnished-"

"-I get it." The girl stopped him right then and there. 

They both looked down at Leigh, who they were causally sitting on top of.

Leigh laughed the I-Know-I-Did-This laugh and pointed to the cafe ordering booth. "Decaf anyone?"

"I hate coffee." The other girl said.

The two others rolled their eyes and stood up, brushing themselves off.

Michael inspected his glasses. "Well, I think that's enough adventure for today." He sighed, seeing the glasses bent, almost broken. He folded them up and stashed them in his upper suit pocket.

Leigh sat up, brushing herself off. "I'd say."

The other girl just snorted in agreement.

Michael looked at the two girls. "By the way, what's your name girls?" He asked, taking off his black coat, which had a stain in the back from coffee. Just great.

Leigh pulled her hair behind her ears. "Why should I tell? Seems like you did enough trouble today for one thing." She said coldly for the first time. 

The other girl rolled her eyes. "Naw, I thought Funny Bunny did it." She said sarcastically, starting to walk away. "But call me Zillah." She waved bye and Michael waved back.

Leigh shoved her hands into her pockets. "Hope you find your sister." She said, turning to leave.

Michael nodded. "Me too...Me too." 

And so they parted, leaving their separate ways. That was one adventure for today. One thrilling one that actually Leigh thoroughly enjoyed. Michael on the other hand was scared out of his wits. And the mysterious girl named Zillah seemed she enjoyed the thrill of it too. Would this be the last time they ever met? I believe the old man on the shadows knows that answer.

The old man had watched the new epic story unfold, just like he had the last one. What was up with this guy? He laughed as something small glittered on his shoulder.

"They'll do with the short notice I received." He confessed as the glittering thing nodded and vanished into a blue portal. (Is it all coming together now?) "They'll have to 

do." He smiled and walked out to the wheelchairs that were parted under the staircase and brought one out.

"The WheelChair Express." He grinned, chuckling to himself, aiming for the ten year old boy and thrusting the chair at the young boy with all the strength he had in his old bones, thrusting it at the boy who was walking away. "Good luck there boy, you'll need it."

Michael walked on, looking everywhichway for Naomi, she had disappeared on this floor, but the old man's directions weren't too detailed. "I hope I find her." He said with a sigh as a girl screamed.

"KID! LOOK OUT!"

Suddenly a wheelchair came from practically nowhere and swept him off his feet, literally. It ollied and sped forwards, the poor kid screaming his lungs out at full burst. Technically called 'Screaming like a Girl.' Though girls don't really scream like that, only the preps do at the corny haunted mansions with their boyfriends.

Leigh shuffled away from the kid slowly, muttering to herself. "Stupid, idiotic kid." Thoughts of her cloths reigned in her head and the bucks she had just thrown--literally. But truthfully, the kid was actually growing on her already, though she really couldn't understand why. He was selfish, self-centered, and egotistic, not to mention a genius from the way he acted. Why would a kid like that grow on her when she felt he wasn't really truthful about everything? But it kept haunting her, she should have given her name. He might have been true to words, she didn't know. Very seldom did people trick what she liked to call her 'sixth sense' about other people's personality. It came in handy for judging people before she knew them, which she didn't do often.

Her eyebrow began to twitch. "Stupid conscious!" She raged and looked around for the boy.

She found him, and a wheelchair galloping straight towards him. "KID! WATCH OUT!" She yelled, the voice echoing throughout the mall.

The kid looked back just in time to catch the chair plummet into him and sweep him off his feet, towards a shopping store.

Leigh silently cursed to herself and set out on a run to stop that wheelchair!

Zillah heard a scream that said 'Kid! Watch out!' and that immediately caught her attention. It was followed by the most annoying girlie-boy scream she had ever heard in her lifetime. Someone was in trouble! She raced away to find the trouble, hoping it wasn't that boy again.

She caught sight of the trouble. It was the boy, surprise, surprise. And the other girl was running behind him, trying to catch up with the wheelchair he was in. That wouldn't work. Zillah bit her lip. She was already on the second floor, and they were on the first, right below her almost.

Zillah looked around for something, anything that could help her get down there. She noticed a strand of lights streaming down to one of the first floor tree, right above the boy now. Why they had trees in the mall she never knew, but frankly now, she was grateful of them.

She ran up to a man in a Frosty costume, who had a candy cane stick, and said, "May I use that stick?" He shook his head. "Please?" He shook his head again.

Zillah smiled sweetly and punched Frosty square in the face. "Never say no." She advised and snatched the cane from Frosty's grasp.

"What can be worse? Dieing a slow death in life, or dieing fast with thrill?" She asked herself, running up to the strand of lights. "I say the former, but it's too late to change now! AHHHHHHHHHH!!" 

She hooked the cane onto the strand quickly, hopping over the siding with ease as she coasted down the strand of lights to what she would call, her doom. It was a bit bumpy with the lights on there and she could hear them crackling and smashing. Everything was shaking on her. Everything.

Zillah zoomed down the strand, seemingly hovering over the wheelchair at this point. Now it was crucial, it was either hit, or miss, and she didn't want to miss. Gulping, she took a deep breath and let go of the cane.

The girl landed on the wheelchair's backside as Leigh caught up and hopped into the front chair with Michael.

"Move ova." She commanded and he did. "You better be glad we're saving your hide."

Zillah raised an eyebrow. "You mean now saving OUR hides, right?"

"Exactly."

Zillah braced herself on the back metal bars. "Fire away blondie."

Leigh rubbed her hands together, dreading what she was about to do. "Alright Cynical Cindy, ready when you are."

"I'm ready."

Two things happened then, first of which Leigh slammed her hands down on the wheelchair's iron wheel grippers, her skin burning against the hot rubber. The second was Zillah slamming her feet on the ground, the rubber soles screeching and black marks trailing. 

Michael was the only one not doing anything. He looked ahead and screamed, "TURN!"

The wheelchair turned on one wheel and rolled another way, picking up speed as it went. The wheel's rubber burning into Leigh's palms and Zillah's shoe's soles were running hot, and I mean hot.

"Ow! Ow!" Leigh repeated, keeping a firm grip on the wheels so they wouldn't exceed the speed limit of the mall. "OW!"

Zillah rolled her eyes the best she could. "USE THE BREAK DUMMY!"

Leigh nodded, pressing down on both breaks. Something snapped.

Michael hit his head. "Don't tell me that was the breaks..."

Leigh held the breaks up. "Yep."

"We're all going to die." Moaned Zillah as they entered the food court, heading straight for the arcade.

Leigh started to laugh. "Games anyone?"

They zoomed faster and faster to the arcade.

Michael shook his head. "I never liked games. Not even Duel Monsters on the show Yu-Gi-Oh. I never understood why they played it."

Zillah and Leigh both looked at him weirdly. "Never understood it?" They asked in the freaky unison thing.  


Michael shook his head. "Nope." He looked back at the arcade. "But I don't want to learn now either." His brain started to sizzle. Okay, he was the genius here. He was the mastermind. He had to think of something, some way to turn the wheelchair around, or better yet, stop it. He bit his lip. How come his brain had to freeze in crucial moments like these?

Zillah had no earthly idea why she was even here. Yeah, sure, she wanted to help the kid and all, but this was hardly helping, this was more like suicide. But then again, she could always jump off and forget this event ever happened to her. But where would that leave the other two? How would they get out in time before crashing into World Race 3? They couldn't and for some odd reason, she couldn't either.

"Got any ideas?"

Leigh's heart began to thump, she had no idea how to stop this thing, she broke the brakes and her palms were on fire, how was she to stop this thing? Truthfully, she didn't know, and all of this was because of her stupid guilty conscious of helping a kid she had just met. But that's not why her heart was thumping. The thrill of this event rushed through her veins like hot water. This was something you didn't get to do on thrill rides, this was something that was once in a lifetime. She wanted to prolong that.

"I do." A grin crossed her face. "Just trust me."

Leigh bent down over the wheelchair, ready to grip the wheel as hard as she could. "Does anyone have a glove or something?"

Zillah quickly took off her black and white striped wristband off. "Here, will this do your highness?"

Leigh took it. "Yes my faithful servant." She said quickly as they zoomed into the arcade, coming up on a turn that could send them out of here.

This was the point. Leigh slammed her weight down on the wheel, the wristband partly covering her hands. "LEAN OUTSIDE!" She shouted as everyone leaned to the outside of the turn. "NOW INSIDE!"

Michael's jaw dropped, "That's crazy!"

"NOW!!"

Everyone leaned to the inside now, the wheelchair coming up on one wheel, Kamikaze style, and skidding around the turn, clipping Mortal Combat 2 and screeching out of the arcade and towards a game shop.

They all cheered as shouts from the other people could be heard, trying to say things that were all jumbled.

But one phrase caught Michael's ears. "They are going the same route as those girls before they crashed! Stop them!"

Michael's heart stopped, the same route as the girls took, that's right. The arcade, they went through the arcade just as Naomi and Tiki had done and crashed into a game shop. Michael smiled inwardly. Now he would see what happened to his sister.

"We have to stop!" Leigh cried.

"How numb-brain?!" Zillah shouted back.

"I'll think of something!" Reassured Leigh as they neared the shop.

Michael shook his head. "No you won't." He narrowed his eyes, a flicker of a grin on his lips, as they flew into the game shop, nearing the back room full of newly-made 

bookshelves. Michael could see the crash marks from the other wheelchair that had collided in the same spot.

"Why won't we?" Asked Leigh as Michael just shook his head, laughing.

Zillah looked confused. "What are you laughing about twerp?"

Michael closed his eyes and leaned back, the bookshelves but ten feet away. "Someone planned this."

They smashed into the bookshelves with a BANG!! A billow of dust sputtered from the wreak as a wheel came rolling out of the dust.

Now seven were missing.

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To Be Continued…

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A/N: Soo? Was that a good opening for them? Do you like the choice of characters? I am sorry that not everyone could have their character in. Please forgive me. But those two kinda clicked for this story…seeing how they were so much alike--but so much different at the same time. They type of people that would make good friends or worst enemies or just into each other's faces every five seconds about something…Michael's just there to…well…to 1) Annoy the girls 2)Have drama (remember when I said that Naomi had three brothers? Ah…it's all coming together now…) and 3) Just to have a smart person in the story to come up with ideas…0.o. Wait, I wasn't suppose to say that. Oops.

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R & R!!!


	12. Down the Rabbit Hole

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A/N: I just want y'all to know that I was VERY sorry for not getting this SHORT chapter up sooner. But I had to finish the surprise for y'all! Yes! I have a surprise after this chapter for all my faithful readers! ^___^ !! And so, read and see what happens to the gang! AND WELCOME TO THE END OF THE FIRST PART!!! The second part will start next chapter with a new name and a knew type of titles. ^_~

ENJOY!!

(No reviewer responses this time guys. Sorry. This is a special addition so it will start back up next chapter, PROMISE!)

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Jump

Chapter 12 - Down the Rabbit Hole

Jake drew five cards, as did his opponent, Yami. He licked his lips and looked through his cards. 'Not good.' He thought to himself, shuffling through the cards.

The wind swept through the arena, giving Jaken a shiver up his spine. His teeth began to chatter as he looked at his opponent.

Kaiba cleared his throat. "Okay Duelist. I will make this quick. This is going to be different then the duel in Battle City. We are flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet. The extreme temperatures up here will make the duels more competitive and challenging. Not only will you have to fight against your opponent, but the weather as well. Now enough idle chitchat. Roland, start the duel."

Roland nodded and raised his hand into the air. "Battle Start!" He declared as his had flew downward and a lifepoint count lit up from the duel disks.

"I'll start it" Yami declared and drew a card. He looked for a moment then said. "I lay one card face down and set Gama the Magnet Warrior in defense mode." He did so. "I end my turn."

Raven nodded and drew a card from his deck. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the card. 'Better.' he thought and placed it into his hand, picking two other cards from his hand and placing then onto the field. "I place two cards face down and end my turn. Your turn star-head."

"Funny." Yami mused and drew another card. He calculated, "I switch Gama to attack mode and use Mystical Space Typhoon to wipe out one of your face down cards." The magic card blew the trap card away. "And now attack Jake!"

The Gama monster started to charge for Jake as he just smirked and laughed.

"Do you really think I am that stupid? I activate Negate attack. Sorry, you don't attack me this time." He wagged a finger. "But maybe next time, or when you finally figure me out." He teased.

Yami snorted. "End turn." He snapped lowly as Jake conceitedly took another card from the top of his deck.

"Let's see." He thought out loud, looking at the newly draw card. "This will help me..." He slid the magic card into the card slot. "I activate Pot of Greed, allowing me to take two more cards from the top of my deck." He said, doing so. Jake scrunched his nose. Not what he wanted either. 

"Alright then." Jaken sighed, picking one card from his hand. "I play Gemini Elf in attack mode and attack your Gama the Magnet Warrior." He paused for a second. "But!" The Gemini Elf stopped attacking. "First I lay two cards face down, to ensure protecting from the outside, who knows what darknesses can be lurking in ever crevice. Darkness comes in every shape and size. The Raven knows all." He said hauntingly, giving the other duelist chills, and Yami usually never got chills. 

Raven smirked, "Now attack!" 

"Hold on!" Yami shouted, flipping up the face down card. "I don't know what two magic cards you laid down, but this can destroy your Gemini Elf. Mirror Force!"

Jaken didn't even twitch. He knew it had to be Mirror Force, for protection.

The trap card shot glowing steams of light at the Gemini Elf and she dispersed.

"Another to the darkness." Jake said lowly.

Yami looked at him strangely. "What do you mean?"

Jake laughed. "I activate the card Monster Reborn! To bring back my long lost Eleanor!" He laughed as a mummified Gemini Elf appeared back on the field, looking petrified.

"Eleanor?" Joey asked, scratching his head. "Who's he?"

Tea glared, "It's a she--but where have I heard that name before."

Kurt glanced over at them. "You probably heard it from a poem Edgar Allen Poe wrote."

Yami raised an eyebrow. //Edgar Allen....Poe?//

Yugi nodded, connecting through the mental link they shared. /Edgar Allen Poe was a famous poet in America, we had to study about him in English. He wrote very dark stories./

//Dark stories? What type?//

Yugi hesitated. /Like dark spirits and the death that could walk the earth again. 'The Raven' was one of his most famous works, besides 'A Tale-Tale Heart.'/ He stopped. /Wait...'The Raven'. Raven was the name Jake signed up as. Do you think that has something to do with this?/

//Maybe, always the best thing to know.// Yami said and closed the link.

"Alright Jake, explain all of this." Yami demanded.

Jake looked at him lazily. "In due time Yugi. In due time. Make your move."

Tea shivered. "Jake's sure acting strangely, like he's a different person."

"He has to be." Tiki said. "Otherwise he would not win. Intimidation is the key here. Not wits or your deck. But--"

Kurt butted in. "--Your heart Tiki. Not anything else, but who has the strength to fight what they believe in the most."

Tiki snorted in disagreement as everyone else nodded.

"So dis is a fight of will?" Joey asked as Kurt nodded. "Who will lose dere cool first..."

Jake closed his eyes. "I end my turn."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" The trio yelled as they flew through the swirling blue portal, flying in every-which-way.

"I don't like this!" Michael screamed as he started falling backwards. "I don't like perpetual falling!"

Zillah gulped. "I feel like I'm fixing to puke..." She held her stomach, starting to fall head first. Michael tried to swing away from her.

Leigh was bluntly screaming her head off. "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Her arms flailing about. Her legs flailing about--the other two were watching them carefully--one already kicked Micheal in the gut.

"Leigh!! Stop screaming your freaking head off!!" Michael shouted.

Leigh just kept on screaming, not hearing the boy.

Zillah sighed, trying to keep herself level. "This is just great. Where are we heading anyway?"

Michael shrugged. "I don't know."

"Funny. I though geniuses knew everything."

"Well, we don't--I don't anyway."

There was a short silence as Michael closed his eyes. Wait…quiet? No wind whistling past his ear. No Leigh screaming. Something was wrong.

Michael opened his eyes slowly, seeing a hole finally in the swirling portal--an end.

"Hey…what's that?" He blinked, his tie flying off of his collar. Michael didn't even bother to try and save it.

Zillah looked stunned, her hand up to her mouth. Slowly she muttered, "Oh my Ra…"

Leigh gulped as the flooring came closer and closer. She pointed and looked up to her two comrades. "Does that look like linoleum to you? Blue linoleum?"

Michael squinted. "I don't know. That looks a little like blue tile to me."

Zillah sweat-dropped unknowingly. "It's the ground and we are going to crash right into it. Is that enough information for you?"

"We can always hope for a miracle, right?" Leigh sounded of pressured optimistic.

"Miracles are always good to hope for!" Michael piped in as the flooring came into the clearing. It was a hallway with doors on each side. It looked awfully familiar to all three of them, but that didn't matter right now.

They started falling faster and faster. Michael clinging onto Leigh, Leigh clinging onto Zillah and Zillah clinging onto Michael. And not just a regular cling either. Each were clinging with their lives, the death cling. The hardest clinging that anyone can ever accomplish. The clinging that can leave a dent in a steering wheel if some nut job speeds by you and you just barely miss him.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

"WE'RE GONNA DIE!!

"I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!!"

Suddenly a sparkling silver mist started to swirl up their arms and feet. It felt tingly, like if someone tickled you with a feather all over.

Leigh started to freak. "What in the--ACK!!"

Michael accidentally hit her in the face, trying to shake the silver sparkling stuff off. "Sorry! Leigh!"

Leigh let go unintentionally, starting to fall faster and faster to the ground. The silver mist engulfed her quickly and disappeared just as she hit the ground--hard.

Michael stared horrifically down at Leigh as the mist consumed him too.

Zillah ripped Michael's grip off of her owns and pushed off from him, trying to jump back up.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Michael shouted.

"Trying not to die!" Zillah spat back, pushing away from Michael, only making both of them fall faster to the ground.

The mist consumed Zillah also, covering every strand of hair separately and every seam in her shirt singly. A cold burst ran through her as the silver stuff dissolved, Zillah horrific to find herself inches from the ground. Bam.

Michael was last. The silver had already consumed him and was sending cold bursts through him over and over again. He could feel every strand of hair on his head freezing. One last pulse of coldness burst through him as the silver melted away. 

The next thing Michael knew, was that his cheek was on cold, hard linoleum. 

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END OF THE 1ST PART

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(Congrats! You made it through half, if not more than half of the story, so how do you feel? The next part is a short intermission that I think y'all need for being such GREAT reviewers! And for putting up with my late chapters! (such as this one)...

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Silver: Okies! Guess what?! This is a brief intermission of the story **Jump**. I just think that y'all need some well- tuned funniness on a story that I am brewing in my delinquent mind. It's a side step to **Jump** and a back step to the sequel. (The title is yet to be revealed by Light.. yep, she's managing again. Great.) 

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Light: I HEARD THAT!!

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Silver: And YES! There will be a sequel to this story! You can count on it my fine feathered fans! If you want a sequal that is... 

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Shadow: Nice nickname for them Silver… -_-

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Silver: _(clears throat)_ As I said before I was so rudely interrupted _(glares at Light and Shadow)_, this is going to be a side step to the story and will count as a mini filler when this story every catches up to the anime. I don't want any spoilers to be gotten out of this fic, and so if 4KIDS starts over from the Virtual Reality Saga (which is coming shortly in this story -- NOT A SPOILER!! YOU ALL KNEW THAT! I hope...) But of course, who knew, right?! Right...

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Light: So this is the mini side-story that we **MAY** turn into a story if people say it's that great... but it's just a minor idea at the moment. It does involve Naomi and the gangn (of course!) -- exnay the newbies, sorry. And well... the title explains all...BUT THIS COULD **NOT** BE THE REALITY THAT **WILL** BE! YOU ARE WARNED! NAOMI COULD NEVER RETURN FROM THE SHADOW REALM!!! BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!..... (but don't believe that either...)

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Shadow: And be looking for clues that will come to the next chapter! Jaken vs. Yami (Yugi) !!!! 

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Light: The truth is, the next chapter is **REALLY** sad. And the reason most of you liked this in the first place was because of the humor, right? And we haven't been dealing humor for a while now in this story, just minor places.

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Silver: Yes! And you deserve this little sidetrack for a second. So read on and be funnified! (In a grose sort of way...) This is us giving all the readers a THANK YOU FOR STICKING AROUND!

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Shadow: And the next actual chapter will be up shortly. We Promise! So here we goooo!!!

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Premier Story, brought to you by Jump!

The Chibis -- Cute, yet cruel: The Bakura Experience

Tiki's teacher slammed the test down on her desk with the utmost disgust and pranced away, her fat bum swinging widely. Watch out! People might get a black eye that way! (One occasion, the teacher swung it so much, her bodacious hip hit poor Randolph square in the nose. It was bad enough the teacher had fallen on him going down the stairs that day...ouch.)

Tiki looked down to the red ink plastered across her paper and sunk down in her seat. Her mom was going to skin her hide. "My mom is going to skin my hide."

Kurt leaned over from his desk beside her and looked at the red ink. His jaw dropped. "You mom is going to skin your hide dude."

Tiki smiled grimly at him and shoved him back into his seat. "That's what I just said _idiot_."

"Yeah, that's what I just said _idiot_." Kurt replied with a wide mischievous smile.

"Oh shut your yap!" Tiki spat and crossed her arms.

Kurt, quickly I might add, shut his yap and turned to the front of the classroom.

The teacher smiled, this seemed like slow motion to Tiki, the deep long voice and everything. "Now I want all of you to get this signed and bring it back tomorrow! So I can show off on the hallways, _all _of them." The teacher turned his gaze towards Tiki and grinned, laughing evilly.

Tiki scowled as horns protruded from Mrs. Lynch's head. She could make out a pitch fork and a pointy tail to. The Jamaican growled and snapped her pencil in half as the bell rang, snapping Tiki out of the rabid dog moment and out of slow motion as well.

Kurt grabbed Tiki's wrist and dragged her out of the room before she could serious hurt herself... since Mrs. Lynch was unbeatable with the support of her husband (the District Director) and her bodacious hips to help. "Come on Tik, come on."

Tiki stared at the F on her paper and sighed, walking out of the classroom. "But I looked up who Einstein was! I wrote five pages worst and she _still_ gave me an F! I tell you, she just hates me. SHE HATES ME I TELL YOU!!"

Kurt nodded. "I know what you mean, I had a teacher like that once, but I stole her clothes when she was in her shower, I lived right beside her at the time, and she had to walk outside to the clothes line butt naked to get some more clothes. Needless to say I taped it and showed it on my old school's TVs during first period. And dude, some people had to go to a physiatrist after that." He shook his head in disbelief, reacting as some had. "Whoa! I didn't know what some of those where! Scarred for life I tell ya. Whoa."

Tiki turned a full shade of red and slapped the surfer on the back of the head. "I didn't need to know that!"

"Hey, it was on topic dude, right?" Kurt shrugged, "anyway, so, where's Naomi?"

"RIGHT HERE!!!! BUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Naomi pranced to them, earning stares as well as laughs. She waved her purse around (yes, she carried a purse for... girl reasons.) swinging the purse and hitting a guy square in the mouth.

"OW!" The guy cursed and backed away.

"Sorry! Kill Stacy Hendrics if your mad! I know she won't mind!"

Stacy Hendrics (a VERY snotty prep) turned red in the face. "HEY!"

"Oh, hello to you to Tracy-- I mean Stacy, has your mom got it going on?" Naomi smiled, shaking her hand and prancing the rest of the way to her friends. "I got an A! I got an A!" She sang and waved the Spanish test in front of Tiki and Kurt, smiling widely.

"No wonder your soo preppy." Jake came walking up to the group. "I could hear you all the way from the bathroom downstairs -- you made a guy fall in the urinals --"  


"I DID NOT JUST WANT TO HEAR THAT!" Tiki screamed, turning a beat red. "I did NOT just want to hear that!!"

Jaken shrugged. "Alright, fine. But it was so hilarious! He fell in it, the urinal broke, and he got hit in the--"

"Please Jake." Naomi interrupted. "I am having a good day, please don't ruin it with profanity."

Kurt snorted. "I remember when you ruined your neighborhood party by kicking Bozo the Clown in the groin..."

Naomi flushed. "He kept on looking at me..."

"And that's how you make a guy bow down to you!" Tiki commented, smirking, "Right Kurt?"

Kurt groaned, bending in his knees and covering below his waist with his hands. "Please don't remind me Tiki... please don't remind me."

Naomi, Tiki, and Jaken laughed as a scream erupted from down the hallway, and a kidish voice shouted.

"LYNCHY GOT IN A PINCHY!" The kidish voice laughed. 

Mrs. Lynch suddenly skidded down the hallway on the newly waxed flooring, 'duck' tape wrapped around her, mummifying her. 

A kid ran through the hallway, the teenage crowd parting to the unusual kid. The kid had long white hair and vampire-like brown eyes. A devilish grin plastered all over his face and a hockey stick in his hand. The four year old ran after poor Mrs. Lynch, who was still sliding down the hallway, and hit her with the hockey stick in the butt. Mrs. Lynch went flying into the Teacher's Lounge, the door closing behind her instantly. Something cracked and glass broke. You do NOT want to know what happened...

Naomi's jaw dropped, as did Tiki's, Kurt's, and Jake's. They all looked at the white haired Chibi tomb robber and stuttered in unison. "_B-B-B-BAKURA?!?!?!_"

Chibi Bakura turned innocently to the four and looked at them befuddled. "You know me?" His childish voice was so cute, innocent and -- EVIL I TELL YOU!!

Naomi looked at her friends and walked towards the Chibi Tomb Robber. "Yeah, remember us? We met you in your world. Remember?"

Chibi Bakura blinked and stared into Naomi's eyes dramatically, as if realizing. Finally he said, "No."

Naomi blinked, watching the Chibi take out something and hand it to her. "What's this?" She asked, trying to be a sweet as possible.

"A gwenade! Good luck!" He giggled and ran off.

Naomi looked at the little green thing in her hand as what it was sunk in. "A WHAT?! GRENADE?!" She screamed, throwing it away into the Teacher's Lounge. It exploded, sending pink bubblegum everywhere. 

Tiki shook her head, "I take back what I said about Mrs. Lynch. Poor hag."

Suddenly another grenade rolled to the group's feet. The group gaped as the grenade exploded. Three words: Pink. Bubblegum. Everywhere.

Naomi had the most disgusted look on her face as she peeled the gum off of her face and growled. The rest did the same. 

Kurt tasted the bubblegum. "Yum! Watermelon!"

Tiki tasted it just for the heck of it. She smacked her lips noisily and decided, "Slimy yet satisfying."

Jaken turned a shade of green and pried his feet from the bubblegum floor. 

Naomi cracked her knuckles and peered straight ahead. No one messed with her and got away with it -- and especially sticking gum in her hair. "This means war..."

Tiki groaned. "Oh no! Not again! Naomi, haven't you already learned not to go to war? Remember the Huckleberry Experience*?"

Kurt blew a bubble, it popped all over his face. "The 'uckle'erry Experience?" He mumbled and unstuck the bubblegum from his face.

Naomi sighed, "Don't ask." Kurt nodded quickly. "Now, where did that Chibi go?" She looked around, the air vent door on the ceiling crashed to the ground. The white haired thief popped his head out from the vent and giggled. 

"You went kabloowey!" He giggled and popped his head back into the vent.

Jaken pried his feet free finally and ran over to the vent. "HEY! GET BACK HERE B--" Gallons of (non-toxic) glue came spilling out of the vent. The white plaster covered Jaken and quickly dried.

Chibi Bakura popped his head out again and laughed. "YOU GOT GLUEDED!!"

Naomi gasped and ran over to Jaken. "Jake!" She looked up at the mischievous Chibi. "YOU DRATTED CHIBI! BRING THE TOMB ROBBER BACK!" She shook her fist up at the thief, who grinned and shrugged.

"Me not stole Tomb Robber. Him right here." He pointed to his head and laughed. "But he gone. For good!" Chibi Bakura popped his head back into the vent.

Naomi didn't even have time to think before a row of six tires dropped down into Naomi, wrapping around Naomi like a rubber bands. She tried to shift, but the catastrophic tire grip held tight. "BAKURA!!" She shrieked, the Chibi hopping down from the vent and bounding away down the hallway.

Tiki and Kurt made their way to Naomi and Jaken through the pink chewy mess. They managed to get the tires unstuck from Naomi -- but Jake was a different story. In the end, Tiki had to take her plastic knife and chisel the dried glue away piece by piece. Jake was as unstuck as he could get, he was still very sticky and gooey though.

Naomi rubbed her arms (which were still gumified) and sighed. "Did you hear what Chibi Bakura said?"

Tiki nodded, "Yeah. Bakura was gone...for good!"

Kurt groaned, "But we have a bigger problem than that!"

Jake nodded, leaning up against the wall. "Yes, a much bigger problem."

Naomi cocked her head, "I don't see the 'bigger' problem..."

Tiki's eyes widened, pointing towards Mrs. Lynch coming out of the Teacher's Lounge only in her lingerie. Boy, that was a scary sight. "That's the bigger problem." 

Mrs. Lynch came out with her underwear on, no make-up on, and totally gummed pink. She looked at Tiki and pointed to her. "YOU! YOU SICED THAT LITTLE BRAT ON ME!" She heaved her breath and marched over to Tiki like Mrs. Frankenstein. "You! You will be mine girlie! Detention forever! Or better yet! EXSPULSION!"

Tiki gasped and backed away, "So you did give me the F because you hate me!"

"Yessss! Now come here my 'ittle pretty! HEHEHEHEHEHE!" She laughed like the Wicked Witch of the West, come to think of it... she was in a way. The Godzilla woman marched towards Tiki with outstretched arms, ready to strangle her, the stopped, gasping. "NOT ANOTHER ONE!!"  


A chibi with spiked black hair with red highlights and blonde bangs stared at her with crimson eyes. "Closer and you'll be in time out." He warned, tossing a small marble into the air.

Mrs. Lynch backed away, then ran away, screaming her head off. Suddenly she was shot back by a fire hose, very high pressure (Chibi high), back into the Teacher's Lounge. Something exploded and glass broke... you do NOT want to know what happened...

"TAKE DAT HAG!!!" Another chibi shouted.

The other unknown Chibi turned the hose off and walked towards the four teens. His blonde hair and brown eyes gave him away as Joey -- Chibi Joey.

"You 'kay?" Chibi Joey asked, pointing to Tiki.

Tiki nodded, grateful. "Thanks Joey -- and you too Yami."

Chibi Yami looked back to Tiki, stowing his marble away until later. Who knows what it was for. "You know us?"

Naomi nodded, kneeling down to the two Chibi's, forcing a smile. "Can't you remember us? Jaken, Kurt, me and Naomi... remember?"

Chibi Joey and Chibi Yami looked at each other and shrugged. "No."

Jaken ran his fingers through his hair, the fingers sticking to to his hair due to the glue. "Um guys?!" He tried to pull his hand out of his hair. He couldn't. "GUYS?!"

Kurt cupped his hands to his face and sighed. "Oh no..."

Naomi sat on the bubblegum ground, exasperated. "You took the words right out of my mouth."

"At least we don't have soap in our mouths." Tiki said with a shrug.

Chibi Joey's face lit up, grabbing a soap bar out of his pockets (What else is in there?!) and offering it to Tiki with a smile.

Tiki laughed slightly and took the soap. "How could things get any worse?"

Jake, who was still trying to get his hair unstuck, said "I don't think you should stick that in your mouth Tiki."

Tiki looked at the soap, about to stick it into her mouth, and thought for a second, looking at the bar of soap. "But my mom always said she was going to stick soap in my mouth one day... but..." She looked down to both the Chibis, who were nudging their heads towards Jaken. "This soap might get you un-gooey." She stood up.

Naomi eyed the Chibis. "But are they are friends or foes?"

Chibi Yami answered. "Friends. We here to stop bad 'Kura." 

Chibi Joey nodded in agreement. "He started mess!"

Kurt nodded, "That's understandable... how did you get here?"

"Big big pretty blue portal. Swallow us up!" Chibi Joey smiled, trying to show big blue portal with his hands.

"Pretty blue lady guided us!**" Chibi Yami chided in, nodding. "She said we help people named Naomi, Kiki --"

"It's Tiki." Tiki corrected, annoyed. People always thought her name was Kiki! They thought the T was a typo! NO! It's TIKI!

"--Yeah! Tiki, and Kurt, and Jaken! You them, right?" Chibi Yami asked, crossing his arms. 

Naomi nodded, "That's us. But... you don't remember us yourselves?"

The Chibis shook their heads. "No." They replied to the same question again.

"But Tiki's hair looks like spaghetti!" Chibi Joey pointed out happily.

Tiki frowned, fixing to whop him beside the head, but thought otherwise since Chibis were very powerful -- childish -- yet powerful beings. She had read that anyway...

Instead, she handed the soap to Jaken and with a bit of spit (provided by Naomi) they went to work to set Jake free.

The Chibis, after a while, began to grow restless. They couldn't stand waiting for long periods of time! But truly, it was but five minutes.

Chibi Joey yawned. "Me help!" He said happily and snapped his fingers.

The four teens gasped. "Oh Shi--"

A thundering roar came from the bathroom as gallons of soapy water spewed out of the bathrooms, flooding the halls entirely, leaving a bubbly, gummy, soapy, slippery mess.

The four teens blinked, foamy soap all over them, and pulled Jake off of the wall. He came off easily.

"I look like the Marshmallow Puff guy!!!" Tiki screamed and shook the soap off.

Naomi looked at herself. "I LOOK LIKE THE FAT MICHELIN DUDE!!!"

Kurt and Jake looked at each other and laughed. Girls, always caring about their looks. But the Chibis were untouched, smiling warmly at the four teens trying to get the soap out of their ears.

"Better?" Chibi Joey asked, rocking on his heels.

Jake bent down to him and gave him a high-five. "Chaotic my friend, simply chaotic." It was a complement and Chibi Joey took it as one and grinned.

"Thankey." His grin suddenly faded. "Hey, Jake..." His voice suddenly turning to a whisper, a concerning whisper. 

"What is it Joey?" Jaken asked, blowing some foam off his hand.

"Why you seem familiar?" He turned to the other three, who were still cleaning themselves off. "And them too. Why familiar?"

Jake cleaned the last of the remaining foam off of him and answered. "We already answered that Joey. You met us before, in your world, but you said you didn't remember."

Chibi Yami stood up from the ground and took a closer look at Jake. He did seem awfully familiar. "Poem." He said simply.

"What?" Jake raised an eyebrow.

"Poem."

Jake looked befuddled. "Poem...?"

"BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! GO FISH!!" Suddenly Chibi Bakura popped out of one of the lockers, laughing madly. He was on a surf board, surfing on a GIANT WAVE OF FISH!!

The group's eyes widened as they screamed and started to run down the hallway.

Chibi Yami stopped Jaken. "POEM!" He screamed, looking desperate. The others kept on running to the exit, they made it outside.

Jake looked into Chibi Yami's eyes, he gasped. That's it! "Quote the Raven -- Nevermore."

Chibi Yami smiled, no, smirked his regular smirk (the one we all know and love) and pushed Jake into the handicap elevator. 

Chibi Yami looked Chibi Bakura straight in the eyes. Yami against Yami. The Clash of the Titians! Chibi Yami drew out the marble from his pocket and gulped. He threw the marble at the tidal wave of fish. It exploded, sending Chibi Bakura sailing off his surf board and into the lockers. The tidal wave hit Chibi Yami and devoured him. It settled down like water, blocking all kids from leaving their classrooms for the rest of the experience. Less casualties.... hopefully.

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* The Huckleberry Experience - you do not want to ask. Let's just say it was a remake of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, and I mean UGLY! (teacher ugly) And everything went kabloowey when Naomi declared war on Mr. Huckleberry, her language teacher... it was not pretty, especially when she stuck glue in the teacher's fake hair. (shivers)

** The Pretty Blue Lady - Ah, it's all coming together, now isn't it? So where have you seen a lady/girl with blue hair and a blue attire?... Ah, now do you see the light?

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Silver: And that's it! ^______^ Hope you like!! Yep! And that's the filler for ya! Don't get me wrong... that's just the first installment and there are many more to go! Will Cedric High School ever be the same?! Will Chibi Yami survive the fish bombardment?! And why is Mrs. Lynch soo fixed on getting revenge on Tiki?! Not to mention, will the Chibi's ever remember their friends?! STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT FILLER TO SEE!! (Or you can suggest an actual story... (hinthint) if you want more soon...

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R & R!!!! Even though it is NOT!!! And I promise that the next real chapter will be up shortly (cross my heart)


	13. Quote the Raven, Nevermore

A/N**:** Phew! _(pants) _I had to rip the paper from Light, she wouldn't give them back to me! She said the words were _hers_. Pah! Hers...I was the one who wrote AND look up the poem in here!! It wasn't easy you know... _(pouts)_

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Disclaimer- For all of you out there who just LOVE disclaimers, I'll put one up here. _(clears throat)_ No I did not write **The Raven **by Edgar Allen Poe, that is why it is written by _Edgar Allen Poe_!!! Nor do I own Leigh or Zillah, which aren't in this chapter. _(sigh)_ Sorry guys.

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Notes: I believe this once came up not too late...but about a month too late...but hey, it's still a work in progress! And my dearly beloved computer didn't crash on me! I am so lucky! _(huggles computer)_ So anyway, I guess it's finally time for the **Ode to Reviewers**, huh?

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Ode to Reviewers

Old Man Domingo- Dude, I just figured out how cool your name sounds on the tongue. Old Man Domingo. Ooh! It just rolls on the tongue! Oh...anyway. Yep...Jaken is going to get pretty darn scary in this chapter...0.O and an inner fight with himself too. Will Jaken and the crew have to contend with the Big Five? Meh, well...how else were we going to see Noah kick some ass?

Angel Rosz- Gracias! Thank you for another one of your kind reviews and witty? That was witty? _stands proudly_ I actually did some wittiness (I didn't think I had any left after the first couple of chapters...X.X I hope you enjoy this one, though it's a bit dark...

Wings of Shadows- Jaken is annoying me too actually (is that allowed? Your own character annoying you?) and I'm glad you caught on that he was dueling without anything in his heart but hatred for the other person and you are catching on to what's about to happen in this chapter, you are red hot! School gets out for me on the 21st of May (WOOT! FOUR MORE DAYS!) and I have final exams all through this week...X.X a real pain...But please read on and enjoy this chapter! I really hope that Jaken annyong you think will stop at the end of this chapter... Heh, why? Well you'll just have to see!

Joeyz Girl-Thank you for liking the little intermission! I liked it too actually, very fun to write and very refreshing too to have all of that weight of writing this thing off of my shoulders. Now I'm refreshed and ready to push my characters through hell! Erm...not really....And that silver stuff around Leigh? Well, that same thing happened to both Naomi and Tiki...licks fingers and flips back some pages Aha! Yep, while their falling, let's just say a great transformation, shall we?

Now on with the annoying jabbers of mine!

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Excess Notes from the Demented Mind: Uh, let's see, Oh! Go and check out **Veracity Keys **by _Red Fox of Gloree_ if you like Yami or Yami Bakura in an our-world story feel. Though she only has the first chapter up (which only involves Yami, she's doing this thing that's really freaky with the chapters. Next Chapter will be centered on Yami Bakura she tells me.) But if you like those two characters, you might like the story. _shrugs _Eh, anyway. The Yu-Gi-Oh! Movie is coming out on August 13th! _(screams) _I can't wait! Though I'll either be scrutinizing it, or be enthralled by it. Meh, who knows?

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Jump

Chapter 13 --- Quote the Raven, Nevermore...

The duel between Jake and Yami raged on. Both throwing out everything they had. Jake spooking the living creeps out of Yami, and Yami just throwing back insults that Jake threw first.

Jake's Summoned Skull was destroyed by Yami's powerful Dark Magician Girl, with the help of a magic card and the Dark Magician that was in his graveyard.

"Now will you tell us what is with you Jake?" Yami asked just as Jake's life points reached 500.

Jake regained his position after the attack and sneered. "Why should I?"

"Because I want to know what happened. I am sorry okay? I am sorry about Naomi. I didn't know--"

"--Bull you didn't know." Jake spat and drew his card. "But I will tell one thing. I will avenge Naomi and get her mind back from the Shadow Realm. And anyone who gets in my way will fall. I swear on that."

Yami sighed and scratched his neck. "I am not going to let you win Jake. I can not. I have to save--"

"--Save the world. How can I forget. But guess what?" He asked. "I don't give a hoot about this world. I could care less if it plunges into chaos and madness. I would enjoy it actually. All that is on my mind is rescuing Naomi. And the only way to do that is to defeat Yami Marik." He pointed down to Yami Marik, who just grinned insanely. Jake sneered at this.

"Yes and I need to defeat him also. So I don't understand why we are on different sides." Yami reasoned back.

Jake looked down. "But we _are_ on different sides. So that makes us enemies. Now, back to the duel."

Raven looked out on the field. '_He has three monsters on the field. Gama the Magnet Warrior, Dark Magician Girl, and Kuribo. He has one face down card on the field and two cards in his hand.' He looked at his newly drawn card and smiled. 'And I just drew The God Osirus! Great!' _He looked at his hand. '_This is better than I could have imagined.'_

Jake looked into Yami's eyes with pure confidence. "I let me share with you a--a poem that I think you should know. I entered myself as Raven for one reason. 'The Raven' is a poem written by a dark writer who lived in the nineteenth century. Edgar Allen Poe. This poem reminds me of a lot of things. But let me recite it to you so you can know why I like it so much. But take note: Lenore is Naomi."

Jake slid a magic card into one of the slots. He took a startling breath and began to say...

> _"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,_
> 
> _Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,_
> 
> _While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,_
> 
> As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
> 
> "'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door -
> 
> Only this, and nothing more.""

Jake looked up to the night sky, his deep blue hair swirling around, his black trench coat whipping around in the breeze. The moon shone brightly above.

> _"Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,_
> 
> And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
> 
> Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
> 
> From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
> 
> For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
> 
> Nameless here for evermore."

Raven started to walk forward into his vacant side of the arena. He looked down at the crowd then back up at his opponent. He started to motion and feel the poem, presenting it as he had millions of times before. But this time was different, he was thinking…thinking…

> _"And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain_
> 
> Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
> 
> So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
> 
> "'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
> 
> Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
> 
> This it is, and nothing more.""

He shook his head and walked to the other side of his field. Jaken traced his duel disk, a strange glint in his eyes--as if he had known all along who would win this duel.

> _"Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,_
> 
> "Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
> 
> But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
> 
> And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
> 
> That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I opened wide the door; -
> 
> Darkness there, and nothing more."

Jaken closed his eyes and sighed. Thinking…still thinking…

> _"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,_
> 
> Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
> 
> But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
> 
> And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
> 
> This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!" -
> 
> Merely this, and nothing more."

Jaken walked back to his position, thinking of a lot of things. This wasn't the way things should be. This isn't they way anything should be. He shouldn't have reverted to his old ways. Naomi has always said, "If you don't have the courage to trust in others, how can you ever trust yourself?" She was right…How?

> _"Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,_
> 
> Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
> 
> "Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice:
> 
> Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
> 
> Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
> 
> 'Tis the wind and nothing more.""

How can you trust in yourself if you can't even trust in one other person? To trust is the hardest thing to do…why did Naomi make it seem so easy?

> _"Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,_
> 
> In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore;
> 
> Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
> 
> But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
> 
> Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
> 
> Perched, and sat, and nothing more."

Jaken looked to his hand. He clenched it. How did Naomi manage to trust people--how did Naomi trust him? How did Kurt even have the courage to become his friend and trust him? What is trust…?

> _"Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,_
> 
> By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
> 
> "Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
> 
> Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore -
> 
> Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
> 
> Quote the Raven, "Nevermore.""

Jaken had promised himself never to trust ever since his dad had abandoned him. Nevermore would be trust. Yet without knowing it--he started to trust people around him. His friend, Kurt, he learned to trust. He trusted Naomi. He trusted Tiki. And once he had trusted the person in front and the people around him. Why did he stop?…

> _"Much I marveled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,_
> 
> Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;
> 
> For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
> 
> Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door -
> 
> Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
> 
> With such name as "Nevermore.""

He stopped trusting because they betrayed his trust! They betrayed Naomi, in turn betraying him. Yami didn't listen when Jake said Naomi needed help. He was too caught up in his little duel to have any recognition of Naomi's disappearance. But _his_ friends were on the line too…

> _"But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only_
> 
> That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
> 
> Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered -
> 
> Till I scarcely more than muttered, "other friends have flown before -
> 
> On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
> 
> Then the bird said, "Nevermore.""

His opponent's friends were in danger also--they might have also died without him. How could Yugi have even tried to save Naomi when his friends were in a tight pinch also? What was Yugi to do but keep dueling and save his friends…Jake should have looked at himself before accusing.

> _"Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,_
> 
> "Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
> 
> Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
> 
> Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
> 
> Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
> 
> Of 'Never - nevermore'.""

He, himself, was being careless when he ran with Naomi. He knew Naomi was way back behind him, but he didn't slow down. He didn't think that that would happen to Naomi. She was just a slacker, he thought, just a slacker. Yet he should have slowed down for Naomi and ran with her, or stopped to let her catch her breath real quick. Then maybe Naomi wouldn't have been taken so easily. Was it really his fault?

> _"But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,_
> 
> Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
> 
> Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
> 
> Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
> 
> What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
> 
> Meant in croaking "Nevermore.""

It was his fault. He shouldn't have gotten so furious with Yami--he was trying to protect his friends, why couldn't he do the same? Why couldn't he save Naomi? He knew exactly where Naomi was, but was scared to go alone. Scared at what Naomi might say to him--why he didn't save her right then and there.

> _"This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing_
> 
> To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
> 
> This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
> 
> On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
> 
> But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
> 
> She shall press, ah, nevermore!"

Maybe Raven should retire for good. Maybe Jaken is the one who should finish this duel, to make the right decision in this duel. He had the winning cards right in his hands--but then again, a small voice was calling from the back of his head, "He's your friend, they all are. Why attack someone you know that's stronger than you? Why attack a friend?" Should Raven retreat for good? Should Jake, Jaken, come back and finish this duel the right way? Why?…

> _"Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer_
> 
> Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
> 
> "Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he hath sent thee
> 
> Respite - respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore:
> 
> Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
> 
> Quote the Raven, "Nevermore."

He could never forget Naomi…never in a thousand years. Friends till the end. _'We'll stick together through thick and thin…that's the meaning of a real friend.' _He laughed inwardly. _'And when it's time to stand the test, friendship shines above the rest…' _What do you know, that song was from the soundtrack of Yu-Gi-Oh!…Is that a sign? Is that the reason why he was brought here? To learn what these characters know so well?

> _""Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -_
> 
> Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
> 
> Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
> 
> On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore -
> 
> Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!"
> 
> Quote the Raven, "Nevermore.""

These characters…these people know what friendship and trust is. They have--had the weight of the world on their shoulder and not one column in their friendship has crumbled. Not one person supporting a column has felled yet. Doubt, trickery, deceit…all have faced the group, yet none have fallen victim. Is that what Jaken needs to learn how to do? To trust in others as they trust in each other?

> _""Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil - prophet still, if bird or devil!_
> 
> By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
> 
> Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
> 
> It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
> 
> Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
> 
> Quote the Raven, "Nevermore.""

Jaken looked back up to his opponent. His eyes back to their bright friendly state. Never cold again. He activated the magic card, Exchange, which exchanges the monsters on the opponents side of the field so the user can summon a monster with the monster on the opponent's side of the field.

> _""Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting -_
> 
> "Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
> 
> Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
> 
> Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
> 
> Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
> 
> Quote the Raven, "Nevermore.""

Jake took a card from his hand silently, Yami's eyes wide, and summoned it to the field. The sky shrouded in darkness, lightning striking all around. Thunder booming in the tornado in which was found. The serpent of Naomi's swerved around, it's red body stretched around the blimp, gripping the blimp lethally. It roared it's attack unstoppable and fear unbreakable. Behold! The God Osirus! Jaken looked unnervingly at the spirit on the opposite side, who was looking horrified. In Jaken's mind he knew what he was going to do. He knew he had to finish this now.

> _"And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting_
> 
> On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
> 
> And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
> 
> And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
> 
> And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
> 
> Shall be lifted - nevermore!"

He looked straight into Yami's stern eyes. "How can I ever learn what you and your friend's hearts know so well? I will never know. I will never know…"

Jaken's gaze turned to Kurt and Tiki. "Kurt, make sure these blundering fools don't screw this mission up, got that friend?" He winked and gave a thumbs up.

Kurt shook his head, "Why?"

Jake's gaze turned to Tiki. "Tiki, I have one word for you. Trust. Do what's right in your heart. You'll find it's the right thing to do…"

Tiki looked at him shocked. "What are you saying?! You won this duel!"

The blue headed boy shook his head. "I have not won this. I have lost--miserably. The real victor is my opponent, he has the strong heart because it is supported by his friends. All of them." He gulped. "God Osirus!" The air seemed to freeze. "ATTACK--" Everyone either gasped or turned away. "--ATTACK ME!"

"Jake!" Kurt yelled, running up to the dueling stage. "You idiot!"

Tiki gasped and looked away. Why was he doing this? He had won the duel! He had won! Why was he giving up now?? Why?!

The dragon reared it's head towards Jaken, who's arms were outstretched and eyes closed, ready for the catastrophic assault.

Yami Malik sneered. Another to the darkness…willingly.

Bakura looked on shocked. He didn't understand. Fool! He's giving up everything he has! Why has that Pharaoh won?! Jaken should have!!_ No matter._ Bakura sneered. _I will not make that mistake when I face Yugi…_

Yami just looked on, as did Yugi, awe-stricken and bewildered. Not over the fact that they had won, or that Jake lost. But that Jake had the opportunity to go on and destroy them--but he left Naomi's mind in the hands of him and Joey both. And that takes courage alone. The courage to trust in another.

The dragon fired it's attack at Jaken, who became barely visible in the yellowish white light that consumed him. He didn't scream…didn't cry. The dragon vanished, as did it's assault. Everyone looked on fearfully--for a God cards attack is cataclysmic, disastrous. And it was Naomi's dragon who dealt the blow.

Jaken stood still, smoke blowing around him, eyes close to bleak. "When will I see my sweet Lenore?" He coughed and fell forward. "Quote the Raven... Nevermore…" He fell to the ground and stayed limp.

"No!! Jake!" Kurt screamed and jumped onto the stage. He stood above his fallen friend and looked away.

Yami walked over slowly, looking down pitifully. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Kurt shook his head. "Not your fault. Jake was never a person to lose with a forfeit anyway. He would stick out a duel--or even a tennis match with a bloody nose till the end. But he's not dead…"

Yami Malik laughed, before exiting. "Not dead at all. With Naomi. And will you see him again?"

Ushima laughed and mocked, "Quote the raven, nevermore."

And the two exited the rooftop.

Joey and the rest of he group climbed up also.

"Poor Jake…" Joey shook his head. "Dat must have been hard for him ta do…"

Tiki snorted. "He was weak, but I won't be…" Tiki said and left the rooftop also, along with Bakura, who hadn't said a word all duel long, and had no opinion on the matter--out loud.

Mokuba ran up to the rest of the group. "Seto!" He called back. "Call the doctors! He doesn't look well at all…"

The doctors arrived soon afterwards and carried the mindless, soulless Jaken away to his room. The rest of the group departed also, leaving Kurt alone to think everything out.

"Oh man…" He sighed. "We need help…"

* * *

Jaken looked around in the dark and clammy space for Naomi. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around, to meet a-- (waiting…waiting…NOW!) --hand slap right on the cheek.

"Stupid blundering idiot! Baka!" Screamed an awfully familiar voice of the blonde haired hippy. She slapped him on the other cheek. "You blaggard! Idiot!! Why did you do that?!" She poked him in the chest. "Why in the heck would you even consider--CONSIDER--entering the tournament in the first place!! You--grrr." She started to choke and strangle him.

"NnNnnnNnNnNAaAaAaAaOoOoOoOoOoMmMmMmMmIiIiIiIiiiIiiI!!!" Jake screamed throughout the Shadow Realm. But Naomi kept on choking…and choking…and choking…

Inwardly, Jake smiled. _Good 'ole Naomi._

_

* * *

_

_So...how did you like it...coughcough I'm so sorry if it didn't go as you wished! Please don't hurt me! This is all in the plan! Yep!_

But anyway, I really hope you aren't too disappointed at the ending...It was REALLY iffy because of what y'all would think, but it's all for the best! I assure you! Now, I guess it's time for me to leave you and see you next time again! And I'll promise to get it up as soon as possible!! As soon as I finish it of course....

**REVIEW AND REVIEW AND PLEASE REVIEW!!**


	14. The Good, the Bad, and the Bad Company

Kill me and you won't have any more chapters!! I NEVER meant to have this up this late. But better late then never, right? I don't have time for any of these reviewer's responses, sorry. I'm in kinda a rush because my computer is crashing---again. So please enjoy and Leigh and Zillah are in this! Yay!

* * *

**_Jump_**

Chapter 14 --- **Bad Company**

Leigh slowly picked herself up from the floor, her head throbbing with pain. "Ow…ow…ow…" She looked around and found the other two sprawled out on the floor beside her. Bums. Leigh shook Michael. "Come on genius, wake up."

Michael rolled over and muttered, "Mom…wake me up in five minutes…"

Leigh sighed and….WHACK! Hit the poor boy right in the head.

"OUCH!!" Michael screamed and sat up abruptly. He glared at Leigh and rubbed his sore head.

"Hey, it was coming to you anyway." Leigh shrugged and stood up. "Wake up Zillah."

Michael snorted. "You better not mess with me girl."

"You threatening me?"

"No no, I'm not threatening you--I'm warning you." Michael retorted.

Leigh growled and crossed her arms. "One more comment and I'm gonna--"

"CAN YOU TWO STOP FIGHTING!" Zillah yelled, sitting up. "Jeez! I couldn't even sleep if I wanted to! With you two duking it out ever minute!"

Michael and Leigh both turned to her and snorted.

"Hey! I and I personally don't like your attitude mister." Zillah pointed at Michael and stood up.

Leigh smiled smartly.

"You better watch it too."

Leigh's smile faded and now it was Michael's turn to smile smartly--which he was a pro at doing anyway…(since he was indeed smart.)

Zillah just sighed and massaged her temples. "I need some Advil…" This was going to be one long day, and she knew it. Zillah looked around, something seemed familiar…too familiar. "Hey…guys."

Leigh looked around also. "Where are we? This place rings a bell…"

Michael rubbed his eyes, making sure he was seeing correctly. "It should…we are on the Kaiba Corp. Blimp."

"THE HENDENBURG?!!" Leigh clutched her stomach. "I don't feel so good…"

Zillah shook her head. "But this can't be the Kaiba Corp. Blimp. Yu-Gi-Oh isn't real. The show isn't real."

"But this is proof." Leigh pointed out, rubbing her stomach. "And I don't care too much for heights."

"We can tell." The other two said, still not believing what they were seeing.

"But this place is real! The walls are solid and the floor is cold!" Michael looked around excitedly. "And my sister might be here!" He started to run down the hall.

"HEY! WAIT!" Leigh yelled after him. Michael disappeared down the hallway. "Awe…"

Zillah waved Michael off. "Don't worry bout him. He can care for himself."

"I was thinking we needed to stay together."

Zillah shrugged. "Either way, we're doomed."

"Why do you say that?" Leigh questioned, looking at Zillah suspiciously.

"That's why." Zillah pointed to Marik walking swiftly down the blimp hallway, along with a lady. Both had the most disgusting, evilest smirk you had ever seen plastered on their faces.

Leigh gasped and pulled Zillah into an open room. She closed the door quickly and locked it. The two people walked by, not noticing them at all.

The two girls sighed heavily, until a voice spoke from behind them.

"Well well, look what the cat dragged in."

* * *

Michael ran down the hallway, no one in sight. Suddenly Kaiba's voice rang out through the speakers.

"Duelists, your break is over. Report to the drawing room to set the next match."

Michael gasped as door opened around him. He looked around, no where to go. Then he looked up. He sighed and jumped. Worth a shot.

"HA HA! I wonda who's gonna be in da next match." Joey stepped out of one room, followed by Tristan, Tea, Duke, and Serenity.

"I hope no one will get hurt in this match…" Serenity said with a sigh and looked away. "When I wanted to see you duel Joey, I didn't expect to see all of this…"

Tea looked down. "Don't worry Serenity. Everything will turn out fine, as long as Joey and Yugi win."

Joey nodded. "Yep! And dere's no way I can lose!"

They disappeared down the hallway as Yugi just came out of his room. He was looking to the ground and walked sullenly down the hallway. After what he saw Jake do, he knew that there was more riding on this tournament than ever!

Bakura walked by also, followed by Marik and a woman with long black hair in a dark blue trench coat. They disappeared down the hall.

Michael sighed heavily, his hands growing tired of hanging on to the pipe he was stuck to. That was one of the smartest moves he had made yet! He jumped back to the ground and followed the contestants. Something was up…he could feel it.

* * *

Leigh and Zillah turned around slowly to meet a girl with long glossy blue hair and light blue eyes. Her attire was weird. Silver covered her body, spiraling in circles along her hands and feet. A blue leotard adorned her mid-body silver rimming covering it and a silver tiara rested on her head.

"And you are…?" Zillah asked, looking at Leigh, who looked back equally baffled.

"Forgive me." The girl bowed. "I am Destiny and here to warn you of a great evil…"

"Isn't Ishizu suppose to do that?" Leigh asked, thinking aback.

"This is a different evil. One that has already consumed two of your own already."

"We have two of us here?"

"Leigh, shut up and listen to her."

"Why don't you shut up."

"You first."

"Why me?"

Destiny cleared her throat, but the two just kept jabbering away. "I..."

"Because you're the annoying one."

Leigh snorted, "I'm the annoying one Cynical Cindy."

"My name is Zillah, get it straight blondie."

"Alright mustard hair."

Destiny tried again, "Will you two..."

"It's musty hair."

"Whatever."

Destiny blew her top. "WILL YOU TWO STOP PLEASE?!"

"Yes." The two girls said abruptly, standing straight and tall from the outburst, stiff, and gulped.

"Alright, you two and the boy are in great danger. You have to help the chosen ones -- the ones who came here before you -- to complete their mission. They are falling apart as we speak. You have to help them realize why they are here and how they can save this world and all the others. Please consider this and help them." She begged and began to fade. "But this might be the adventure of a lifetime, enjoy it." And she faded away.

"Well that was useless." Zillah finally said after a moment of silence, rolling her eyes.

"I agree."

"Well, care to find the 'Chosen Ones'?"

"Sure, why not." Leigh shrugged and they both walked out the door.

* * *

"Okay." Roland said and drew the next two competitors. He was a bit shaken, who wouldn't be? After they witnessed the God assault on Jaken... Even Kaiba was a bit stiff from it.

Tiki looked to the ground, waiting. Kurt ran his fingers through his hair, prancing about. He couldn't take this! What if Tki doesn't realize? What if another of his friends fall? That would be his worst nightmare... he didn't want that.

Yami was staring out a porthole, thinking. Having the fate of the world on his shoulders was enough, but now this? He sighed and turned towards the lottery machine.

Joey was looking nervously around, Tea trying to calm him down. What if e ended up like Naomi and Jaken if he faced Marik? It wasn't right! None of this should have happened and he knew it. But what really scared him was the fate of his little sister... he cherished her more than his own life, and would do anything for her.

"Joey, try and calm down." Tea said softly, stopping Joey in mid-prance. "It's okay. Nothing will happen. You won't face Marik." She smiled reassuringly, but Joey just looked away.

"But what if I face Tiki though? That would be worst in a way..." He clenched his fists, gaze shifting to his sister, who was in the middle of Duke and Tristan, fear all over her face, he could see it. It broke his heart. "And Serenity... If anything happened to her, I don't know what I would do! If she..." He broke off and closed his eyes.

Tea sighed, knowing that she couldn't comfort him this time. "I know Joey, I know how you feel in a way. But we have to keep our faith that something good will happen to turn this around. There is always room for open possibilities." She said, trying to be optimistic. It seemed to work, if only for a few seconds.

Joey smiled, "You're right Tea. Thanks."

Tea smiled at this, and looked to the machine too. Roland was perched stiffly on the platform. waiting for Kaiba's orders to start the machine.

The others were just waiting in anticipation--except for Bakura and Marik, they were as cool a cucumbers. (Not really, Bakura's heart was racing faster than it should have been, he was puzzled why.) And Marik's heart was pounding from expectation, knowing another one would go to the darkness this time as well...

Kaiba stood beside his brother, turning his gaze to see if everyone was there, and signaled for the next match to be drawn. His brother clutched onto his trench coat tail, which he only did when he was scared. Seto promised himself to protect his brother at all costs. His brother was his life, and if Mokuba... No, he couldn't think that way, he wouldn't. At this time, stubbornness was a gift that should be used well. He used it well alright.

Roland cleared his throat and started the machine. It hummed lowly and caught the numbered balls in the Blue Eyes heads, He looked at the first number and read the number out loud, trying not to falter. "The next two duelists are…Number one! Joey!"

Joey clenched his fists and looked to the ground. Great, he was going to be dueling. His sister came up to him and buried her head in his chest. He embraced her into a tight hug, dreading the answer to his question. Who was his opponent?

The second came rolling down and Roland read it bitterly it seemed. "And the second is... number Seven..." He looked at audience. "Tiki Bandora."

Serenity felt her brother's grip tighten around her, tensing up. She looked up to see her brother looking away to the Jamaican, miserably and fearfully. She had only seen that look on her brother's face one before... when their parents became divorced and her mom took her away, leaving Joey behind. This was that same face from that day seven years ago.

"Tiki..." Joey whispered, watching the younger girl come up to him and stare at him, not hatefully, but determinedly. He just looked at her sympathetically, they were friends... and now they had to fight each other, one losing, one winning. He knew that if his opponent lost, she would willingly giver herself to the Shadow Realm. Joey did not want to see that...

Tiki snorted, "Stop looking at me like that Wheeler. You knew that we would face each other. And I will win." She turned and walked away coldly, then slyly said, "See you on the field" With void emotion.

(**A/N:** SONG! Here we go! Whoopii!)

**Company, always on the run**

Destiny is a rising sun

I was born six gun in my hand

Behind the gun I make my final stand

That's why they call me…

Joey looked to the ground, clenching his fists. This couldn't be happening… he couldn't fight a friend. A memory emerged from his mind, one that almost made him cry. He couldn't stand this... this madness! The memory played in his head, messing with his mind and feelings.

"Who you saying 'Hi' to?" Tiki asked as she looked around. "Oh..." She noticed and stood up. "W-Where are we?" She asked anonymously, pulling down on her shirt.

Joey motioned to the sky and then slammed his fists to the ground, as if they hit like a brick. Then he pointed to his throat and then pointed at the two girls. "H-How?" He asked. Clearly, he had a loss of words.

"Ummm..." Naomi scratched her chin and looked to the ground. She had no words to explain. Sure, she could tell them that they were from another dimension and all, but their reaction would be crazy. She shrugged and smiled. Then she pointed upward and shrugged again. "Skydiving?" She laughed innocently as Tiki walked over and touched Joey.

"He's real!" She exclaimed and jumped on top of him, smothering him in hugs and kisses.

"Get her offa me!!!" Joey screamed as Naomi slapped her hand on her face, knocking herself dizzy.

"Ow...that wasn't so smart..." She groaned and turned around. There, right in front of her was not Yugi, but Yami. "Hi again?" She shortly laughed and backed away. He looked rather disturbed at the girls entrances and didn't believe 'Skydiving' was the case. But he decided not to question right now, he was a little scared of the blonde headed girl, and if she would do the same thing to him, like her friend was doing to Joey...

"Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey!!!" Tiki squealed as Joey tried to push Tiki down his left leg. Apparently, Joey had managed to get Tiki off of him, but she jumped right back and aimed for his leg. And now, she wouldn't let go.

"Get this girl offa me!!" Joey yelled again as Naomi came to the rescue, followed by Yami.

Naomi kneeled down to Tiki and attempted to pry her off. It just made Tiki's grip tighter. She attempted to tickle her to get her off. That didn't work either. So finally, she and Yami managed to strip her off by Joey undoing his pants and sliding his leg out.

Tiki sat there with Joey's jeans in her grip as he yanked them away. Her face fell, "Dang...did I just do that?" Tiki asked the trio as they all nodded. "Opps..." She managed to get out before Joey gave her a death glare. "Umm...Nice boxers?" She complemented. pointing to the red and white briefs. She started to laugh the I-Am-In-So-Much-Trouble laugh and scooted away.

Joey blushed at the complement, and then put back on his pants, not wanting to flash everyone with his boxers. He stared hatefully at her, "If you come twelve feet distance from me, I will take you down." He threatened as Naomi stepped between him and Tiki.

The blonde softy sniffed and wiped blinked back tears unseen tears. He now wished he had never made that threat to Tiki… he couldn't take Tiki down, she was too much like a friend now. Too much like a friend...

The gang looked at Joey, who hid his face and walked away quickly. The young man couldn't stand to let his friends see him like this, especially Kaiba. He wouldn't stop pestering him about it. Never.

"I'm going to the duel floor." Joey muttered quietly as he hoped onto the elevator, surprised to see Tiki there too, glancing at him for a second, then shifting her eyes. Joey gulped and spoke, "Hey Tiki--"  
"--I don't want to hear it." Tiki said coldly and turned her back to him rudely, staring out the glass shaft at the passing steel walls.

**Bad company, I can't deny**

Bad company

'Til the day I die

'Til the day I die

'Til the day I die

The elevator came to a stop and dinged, opening the door and allowing it's passengers out.

Tiki quickly walked out of the elevator towards the dueling platform, daring not to look back, for fear that she might soften up. No! She couldn't! She had to save Naomi, her friend, her partner, her sister. (Not genetically speaking 'o course...)

Joey followed right behind her, stiffness covering his body, from head to his toes. His hands shook with nervousness and heart pounded like no tomorrow.

They walked out upon the dueling platform, the wind playing gently with ttheir clothes and hair. Tiki stopped suddenly, looking out to the night sky, waiting for Joey to board the platform first. She looked at the starry night sky. It was beautiful, peaceful. She sniffed, "Naomi... Jake..."

Joey to his spot on the dueling platform and looked at his deck, clenching his fists again. "Deck, don't let me down. Let me make the right choice here." He pleaded. "I don't want Tiki to end up…" He shook the thought off, still blinking back tears. How would anyone have ever known that this tournament would turn into a nightmare? Friends against friends, in dire situations.

The rest of the group made it to the top seconds later, ready to get this duel over with, but dreading the outcome. All quiet. Not one breath was breathed during the moment of secluded silence. Another memory emerged from Joey's mind… Tiki is not like this, she shouldn't be.

"This way!" Tiki pointed down one hallway as Naomi dragged her down the other.

"No! This way Jamaican!" Naomi pointed, pulling her friend into the other hallway. They struggled to go there way to the same class for about a minute, until the warning bell rang. They stopped instantly and looked at each other. They started to hear faint footsteps and turned around to see who was running.

"Oh no..." They rang in unison as two very familiar faces appeared racing towards them from around a corner. The two girls closed their eyes as the boys walked up to them.

"Hey Yug, aren't toes the loons dat fell from the sky yesterday? And grabbed onto my leg? I'd thought day be long gone by now!" He said pointing to the two girls as they smiled sheepishly and backed away.

Tiki held up a finger and slowly smiled, "Thank you for putting so bluntly and i am deeply sorry about that. You won't believe us even if we told you the truth. And...." She stopped and looked at Naomi as she sighed and walked up to the two boys.

She rolled her eyes and shoved the list with all the courses into Joey's face. "Would you happen to know where these classes are? We are nutheads and are utterly confused here." There was a pause as Tiki stepped up.

"Hello?!" She practically screamed, "Girls in need here! Do. You. Know. Where. These. Classes. Are?" She asked slowly so the words could sink in.

Joey grabbed the paper and looked at the girls. "We have the same teachers, so just follow us around. We'll show you the place. **But** please don't grab onto my leg like dat again! I still have red marks from were you stuck toes fingers of yours into my leg!" He complained, pointing to her long fingernails. He sighed and scratched the back of his head, "Ah, don't worry bout it." He folded the paper up and handed it back to Naomi. "But could ya tell us what was up yesterday? And why ya'll are at our school?" He asked as the girls quietly agreed.

"But it's not like you'll believe us anyhow...Jake would need to explain things.." Naomi muttered following the two boys.

Tiki always had a way of getting people to listen to her, in some odd ways. Joey snickered at the thought, who knew that those girls would wind up in the worst trouble yet. They seemed so… carefree. So innocent...

But Joey knew deep inside that that wouldn't last for long. His feeling was dead on, nothing can last forever, he knew.

Tiki fixed her Duel Disk on her wrist, it was bothering her so, and finally walked towards the dueling platform slowly, confidently, all eyes on her. Center spotlight. This was it. It was now or never, either she would win or loose. But if she failed, she didn't know she'd do. Things were in her hands now, not no one else's, not Joey's, not Yami's, not Yugi's, not Bakura's and not Seto Kaiba's. This was her fight, her war. She had to win.

**Rebel souls, deserters we are called**

Chose a gun and threw away the sun

Now these towns, they all know our names

Six gun sound is our claim to fame

I can hear 'em say...

Tiki walked up to the dueling stage, slamming her deck into the slot. The stage rose quietly. The secluded silence still in the air over the humming of the lift for the stage, the Duel Disks, and the wind that whispered past their ears.

Joey gulped and looked at his deck again, then back at Tiki. This wasn't right. He had a gut feeling this would end darkly... and he had learned to trust his gut instincts. "Tik, can't we talk this out? Do we have to--"  
"Don't you dare try and change my mind Wheeler. I entered this tournament to win and save Naomi and Jaken now. And that is exactly what I plan to do. Now I will topple everyone in my way. I swear on that." She sneered lowly.

Joey sighed and looked down to his friends. Most nodded.

Tristan yelled, "Take her down Joey! You know what you have to do!"

Tea agreed reluctantly. She had to cheer her friend on! "Yeah! Show Tiki who's the boss! If she won't listen, then you shouldn't either!"

Duke agreed, "Yeah Joey! Win for you sister!"

Serenity yelled, "Joey! You can do this!"

Joey nodded, defeated by his friends to duel. "Alright Tiki. But just know dis one thing. You're my friend too. I am your friend--at least I hope I am. Never like to duel my friends, and never will. But you made it clear, so we'll duel. Save Naomi, but we are here too."

Tiki snorted. "Ha! Bull. If you were a friend, then you could have helped us." Anger rose within her. They could have helped!  
"I couldn't, I was under Malik's--"

"No! You could have!" Tiki said stubbornly, clicking her duel disk into place. "Now let's duel!"

Joey was taken aback, mutely gasping. He then looked to the ground. "Alright Tiki, let's get dis thing over with." He clicked his Duel Disk into place also and took his deck from his pocket, laying the cards in the holder gently.

Tiki stood confidently... on shaky legs.

Bad company, and I won't deny

Bad, bad company

'Til the day I die

'Til the day I die…

Roland raised his hand. "Let the duel commence!" He lowered his hand and both duelers drew their hand.

* * *

Michael walked up to the Blue Eyes drawing machine and looked at the numbers in the plate, the looked at the people who had the numbers on a computer screen. He scratched his chin and thought out loud, pairing the number with the people on the screen.

"First duel was… Yugi against… Raven? Who's that?" He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head in question. The question was answered.

A voice sounded from behind him. "He was the first to fall child."

A woman with long black hair and sinister dark purple eyes walked up to him. Her lips shone with the most malevolent smile. Her dark gray trench coat zipped up to her chin barely shone the smile, her dark high boots making a low clicking sound as she walked. A gray fedora rested on her head. She walked around the boy, admiring his intelligent stance and laughed slightly.

"Well well, another one, looks like my sister and that old man are at it again. When will they learn?" She said and stood in front of Michael, lifting his chin. "Poor boy."

Michael growled, he didn't like the way she was talking. He shoved her hand away quickly and backed up. Something wasn't right about him. "Who are you? What do you want?"

She laughed again. "I am Ushima dear boy. The one that wove this web of deceit." She licked her lips and walked away from him. "And here to warn you that you will never see your dear sister again."

Michael gasped and turned around. Before he knew it, she was gone. The huge screen behind him switched on automatically, as if to show him the next road, the duel commencing. Michael looked at who was dueling now, his expression becoming one of panic. He gaped in horror, his eyes as big as saucers. "Joey vs. Tiki!"

* * *

Zillah and Leigh walked up behind him with an eyebrow raised, each of them. They had been looking all over for him!

Leigh cocked her head. "Who's Tiki?"

"She's my sister's best friend!" He said in panic and rushed to the elevator. He had to do something. This occurrence didn't settle too well in his stomach for osme reason. "We have to stop this! It isn't right!"

Leigh and Zillah looked at each other and sighed, rushing off after him. Here they go again... racing after the boy who got them into the trouble in the first place. Ironic.

* * *

Tiki drew her cards. She would go first. "Alright Wheeler, prepare to lose."

Joey shook his head, "Sorry Tiki, but you will be the one losing, I don't like dueling a friend, but if it's a duel you want, then I'll give it to ya."

The girl snorted and drew a card. She had rarely used these cards and didn't know most of the... What a fine dueler she was. She whimpered to herself and declared her move. "I-I play Water Harmonics (1400/1200) in Attack mode and set one card face down (Magci Jammer)."

Joey nodded and drew his card, he debated and slammed Axe Raider down on the field in attack mode and attacked Water Harmonics.

Tiki growled as she watched her maiden disperse into a thousand pieces.

Tiki- 7700 Joey- 8000

"Alright Wheeler," she slapped her hand down on her deck and drew her card. "I set a monster (Invader of the Throne) and end my turn."

"Scared yet?" Joey asked, smirking, and drew his card.

Tiki growled, "Don't push it."

The young man shrugged and looked at his hand, "I call Panther Warrior (2000/1600) to the field! Axe Raider! (ATK 1700) Attack Tiki's face down monster!"

The Axe Raider charged for the face down monster and stuck it with it's axe, which bounced off as the Invader on the Throne appeared, lounging on the throne lazily. She flipped back her hair and laughed.

"Think you're monsters are cock?!" Joey shouted, seeing the smug face of Tiki, "well take this! I sacrifice Axe Raider so Panther Warrior can attack! Panther! Go!"

Tiki stepped back for a second as they shards of her Invader of the Throne was sliced and diced with a scream. She growled and drew her card, "My turn!"

The Jamaican drew and smirked, "Lookie what I got here! Take this on my ASS!" She shouted and picked the middle card from her hand, slamming it down on the duel disk, "I summon the great and gorgeous Lady Assailant of Flames (1500/1000)!"

A girl with long silver hair, a purple strapless dress of an ancient culture, and a purple flower in her hair emerged from the card, somersaulting to the Panther Warrior and sitting on it's shoulders slyly.

Joey's eye twitched as the duel monster tickled his Panther Warrior under the chin like a cat! And his Panther Warrior liked it too!! That was okay... Until she started to nuzzle with the Panther Warrior. "HEY!" He shouted, "BREAK IT UP!!"

Tiki shrugged and slapped a magic card into the slot, "I equip my Lady with Malevolent Nuzzler! It increases any monster I want it too with 700 more attack points, but that's not all... You'll find the rest out soon enough." She laughed and pointed to Joey.

"See how you're kitty like's this nuzzling, my Lady, Attack!!"

Lady Assailant of Flames (**2200**/1000) suddenly grinned maliciously the hand that had been petting the Panther Warrior suddenly lit up in flames, the Panther Warrior's eyes bulging, and thrust it through the Panther's chest. The Panther shattered into millions of pieces and the Lady somersaulted back to her position on Tiki's side of the field, flipping her hair back cockily.

Joey stood there for a moment before registering his life points a tad lower and both Tiki and the Lady in the same hip-swung-to-the-left-hand-on-hip stance, the cocky I-have-your-butt-today-mister grin, and both seemed very much like twins if he didn't know better for the moment.

The blonde gulped. Tiki was playing with the best of her abilities, and her monsters were feeing off of that and performing the way she would... Acting as one. The one thing he needed to beat Tiki, the one thing he didn't have, something to really fight for...

* * *

**Tiki - 2300 Joey- 2200**

Joey watched in disbelief as Tiki's Gemini Elf (1900/900) cart wheeled back to Tiki's area of the field and stood their together smugly. The two Elves laced their arms around each other, hair falling from locks behind their ears, both with a solemn expression on their faces.

Wheeler's powered down Zobyra the Dark (**1900**/500) shattered into a thousand pieces. He gulped as the Water Magician (1400/1000) geared up for her assault.

The Water Magician swung her staff around herself, her red hair flailing about as she did so and blue cape swirling around her, as she pushed upward from her feet, raising her staff into the air, blue eyes twinkling, and brought her staff upon Joseph Wheeler, who winced in pain as she somersaulted back to Tiki and landed behind her with the utmost grace.

**Tiki - 2300 Joey- 800**

"How do you like that Wheeler?" Tiki sneered and looked over to her last monster ready to attack, the Mystical Elf. She had planned everything right.. But now she was going to win... But not the way she wanted. She turned back to Joey and shouted, "I will show you how far I will go to win this tournament Joey! And I'll do it by summoning Ra!"

Joey gulped as he drew a card and looked at his hand. _Nothing! Damn! I have nothing! And after all this... I'm going to lose and Tiki will win._ He sighed mutely and looked up at Tiki. _Maybe it is for the best..._

"Tiki!" Joey shouted, "I won't go down a loser either! I'll stick it out to the end. I end my turn -- with nothing on the field."

"JOEY!" Yugi shouted, "Just surrender! You can do more surrendering than you can being trapped in..." he shook his head, "Please Joey! Think this through!"

Joey shook his head, "I've thought it through Yug, and I won't back down... I won't lose."

Tiki's eye twitched as she drew from her hand and drew the God of Ra... She smirked.

"I will end this now."

Joey stared in disbelief as the colossal God Card was summoned. He gulped and backed away. He lost. Fear weld up inside of him. "I-I-I…"

Serenity gasped and closed her eyes. "Joey!" No... this couldn't be, couldn't be. "Joey..." She sniffed and started to cry, falling to her knees. Now he was going to the darkness with Jake and Naomi, Marik would make sure of that.

Tristan, Duke, Tea, and Yugi all looked up at the God Card. One attack, and Joey would be smithereens. Something had to be done! But what? What could they do against someone who was only fueled by hatred? The didn't know...

Tiki laughed. "I won! You lost!" She sneered, clapping joyfully. "I don't need anybody, and once I attack you, this duel will end. And attacking you will be a pleasure--"

"TIKI!!" An unknown voice shouted. A boy around the age of ten with a black suit on and raven hair ran up to the dueling arena and shouted, "Tiki! What are you doing?!"

Tiki looked down at the boy, dropping her cards. Her face looked at him in disbelief. She couldn't believe it. "Michael?"

Michael nodded, exasperated. "What are you doing Tik, what are you doing?"

Tiki snapped out of her awestricken state and said simply. "I'm going to win this duel." She pointed to Joey. "NOW! GOD RA--"

"TIKI BANDORA!" Michael shrieked. He couldn't let this happen! Not while he was around anyway. Tiki looked annoyed at him.

"What?"

"Where's my sister? Where's Naomi?"

There were murmurs from the group. Everyone staring at him sadly as if to say 'I'm sorry'. Joey looked away, clenching his fists again. Yugi just looked at the boy sadly. He couldn't even bring himself to say the answer... it would break his heart, Yugi knew that for a fact.

"Where's my sister?" Michael repeated stubbornly.

"In the Shadow Realm." Tiki said heatedly anger rising in her yet again.

Michael backed away, calculating all of this. He pieced everything together quickly and looked back up to Tiki. He knew what happened, everything… though later, he didn't know how. Even for a genius, that was pretty remarkable.

The ten year old shook his head. "Tiki, don't..."

"I will."

"Don't. Naomi wouldn't want you to. I know."

Tiki growled, her anger flushing into her cheeks. "And how would you know brat?! She's in some place that is total darkness! How do you know what she wants?! Answer me!!"

Michael glared at her. Tiki could always be the stubborn one. "She is my sister. Naomi is my one and only sister. She doesn't want this."

"Yeah?! Well I've known her forever! I've spent every second that I could with my best friend! I think I know what she wants!"

Michael kept his cool, even though anger and frustration flushed his face as well.. "Maybe Tik, but I've known her all my life. Day and night. I am a Rockertale and so is she. We share the same blood and the same parents. We have had to share rooms for a long time and I've had to put up with her obsessions. I know what she wants Tiki." He shook his head. "And Naomi does not want this." He spread out his arms to show this whole conspiracy.

Tiki looked down stubbornly, he was right. Michael was always right, and she hated it! She whimpered for a second, swaying in the wind, and fell to her knees, crying. "B-But then… what does she want? I can't do anything for her! I'm hopeless and helpless…" She sobbed in her hands tears leaking through he cupped hands, dripping to the ground in soft splashes. She had wanted to cry for a while now... and now she finally got her chance.

Joey looked at her sadly, shaking his head. "Tik, you're not hopeless or helpless. I'm telling' ya--" Joey took a step forward, but Tiki suddenly looked back up at him, then at Michael. "Tiki?" Joey and Michael both said in chorus and blinked, seeing what she was going to do in her eyes.

"Sorry…" She whispered and said loud and clear. "God of Ra… attack…" She smiled. "Me."

"TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKKKKKKKKKKKIIIIIIIIII!!!!!" They all shouted, her name ringing through the air for hours afterwards. The name would never stop echoing through the stage...

* * *

Tiki looked around the darkened space, her whole body still tingling from the attack. A smudge mark covered her left cheek and her hair was a bit frizzy, but besides that, she seemed perfectly healthy. "Naomi? Jaken?"

Two shadows appeared out in the distance, running to her. They seemed happy and familiar. Bounding towards here, the female figure waved her hands about joyfully.

Tiki became overwhelmed with joy. "NAOMI!" Tiki yelled and hugged her friend, then hugging Jaken.

"You lost too?" Jaken asked, smiling, when Tiki released him from the hug.

The Jamaican shook her head. "I won." She said triumphantly, releasing Naomi from her second hug. "I won what I wanted to win." She smiled as a blue glow broke the darkness behind them. Filtering the growing darkness behind them.

A girl with blue glossy hair and blue eyes tripped out of the blue portal. She had a tiara on her head and a blue leotard. (You've seen her already in this story…) She regained her position and smoothed out her long hair.

"Hello." She greeted sharply and innocently, bowing. "I'm the one that brought you three here, along with Kurt."

Naomi nodded. "I could have figured that… Destiny, is it?"

Destiny nodded and bowed again. "You know me?"

Tiki snapped her fingers. "Now I know why this story sounds so familiar! I read this happening to four kids… but at Duelist Kingdom. But that was only a fan fiction… wasn't it?"

Destiny laughed. "So one of them posted a story about their adventure, huh?" The two girls nodded. "Well, I'm not surprised. No, that was no fan fiction. That was as real as it comes."

Naomi scratched her chin. "Then that means there is Fate, Hope, and Time."

Destiny nodded. "Yes, they are my brother and sisters. But one was not quite happy with her position..." Her eyes became downcast. "She isn't with us anymore."

Jake looked up, wide-eyed. He was catching on. "Is it Ushima?"

The girl nodded. "But her name isn't really Ushima, it's Time. She knows of the past and present of all worlds and has much knowledge of them. But that didn't satisfy her craving. She wanted more than that."

The trio nodded, acknowledging the name and her position. Yearning something more... didn't they all? But Time. It would have fit her perfectly come to think of it.

Tiki looked up slowly. "Hey Destiny... in the first story... the one that was turned into fan fiction. The ending said that everyone forgot about the adventure... that it was a mishap and all. So... did the characters forget but not the people from our world? Or what?"

Destiny thought for a second. "Good question. All of them were suppose to forget about everything. The one who wrote it must have remembered it as a dream and wrote it down to share. So yes, the characters here that took place in that have no recollection of what happened. They saw it the way you did on TV, the exact plot and everything."

Naomi bit her thumbnail. "Then does that mean we will...?"

Destiny smiled slightly. "That is yet to be seen. It all depends actually on what roads are taken. But that decision is far off and distant. You need not worry of that my friends." She sighed. "But the truth is, even with you here, I still need your assistance..."

The trio looked at her curiously, Jake eyeing her up and down. "What type of assistance?"

* * *

Kurt lead Michael and two other girls into the room where Naomi and Jaken were, he laid Tiki down on the bed and sighed, looking at Michael, who was staring at his sister.

Michael stepped closer -- then stopped. "Stupid... Stupid sister." He choked out as Yugi, Joey, Tea, Mia, Tristan, Serenity, and Duke stood in the doorway. "Stupid stupid sister." He clenched his fists, trying to hold back tears which were already falling. "I let you and Tiki away from my sights just for a second and look what you got yourself into!" He screamed at no particular person. "It's not fair... Not fair..."

Leigh gulped. She couldn't stand for that kid to cry! Especially for his sister and her friends. Heck, she couldn't stand anyone crying, except for her enemies of course. She walked over to Michael and rested a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Don't worry, these people will get them back, I have the faith, don't you?"

Michael shook his head, "No. I don't have faith anymore... Yet I don't want revenge either..." He trailed off, still sobbing heavily.

Zillah sighed and came up too. "Hey, if worst come to worst, at least we'll die together!" She said happily, getting a few short laughs from the others, Michael was one of them.

"You're sure the optimist, aren't you Zillah?" Asked Duke, still laughing a little.

"Me? An optimist? Meh, I'm just someone who tends to think the worst'll happen." Zillah said, scratching the tip of her nose.

Michael dried his eyes and turned to the group. "My sister wouldn't want me crying, and that is not what I am going to do."

"Good spirit." Yugi commented softly, nodding. "Don't worry Michael, we'll get your sister, Tiki, and Jaken back all safe and sound."

"I do hope so." Michale replied back. "If not, well, I am a genius you know."

"And arrogant one at that." Leigh commented, earning a kick from the boy. She yelped, "Well, it's the truth!"

Michael rolled his eyes and snorted, "And the truth is -- is that blondes are the stupidest of the bunch."

That remark didn't just earn a hard stare from Leigh, but from Joey and Mia too. "What?" They asked through gritted teeth.

Michael's eyes widened as he gulped and loosed the tie around his neck, "Uh... Now now... There aren't many genius around these parts...and-and you don't really want to hurt a genius now... Do you?"

Mai, Joey, and Leigh rolled up their sleeves and charged for Michael, who slipped through their grip and ran out the door.

"Catch me? Ha! I'd like to see you--ACK!!" He ate the tile flooring.

Leigh and Joey looked at each other and high fived, Mia 'humph'-ing and crossing her arms prissily. No one got past blondes.

* * *

_So there you have it folks! The 14th installment! I hope it wasn't too mushy...and we're in the home stretch too! (Chaos will errupt before they even arrive on the Duelist Tower...I hate to say.) And Ushima will unleash her plans next time during the next duel! This is not good! So stay tuned and check out my art account here! www.thetikisuite.deviantart.net. Please check it out when you have time!_

**_REVIEW YOU ALL!!_**


	15. Their Oath of Veracity

**Sorry this has taken so long! And, as you will be able to see, this story will be wrapping up in the next chapter due to circumstances I had to take. This story has been running for over a year now and I am very proud of it --- AH HELL, I'LL DO THIS IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

**ON WITH THE STORY!!!!**

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* * *

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_Chapter 15 ---_ Oath of Veracity

The next match was what they had all feared. Mia vs. Marik. Mia had already decided to walk up to the dueling arena to catch some fresh air before the duel... For it might be her last in this world for she might be spending a while in the Shadow Realm.

Mia stood up on the dueling arena and cocked her disk to go time. "This is it girl. Now or never." She bit her lip and sat down on the steps to the dueling arena. "I wish it were never -- but I'll win! Mia Valentine never backs down!" She cheered as a laugh erupted from behind her.

"Isn't that what the others have fallen too? Too much pride?" Marik walked up behind Mia, laughing, Ushima right behind him.

Mia turned around quickly and backed up to the railings, "What do you want? The duel isn't suppose to start for a while! So just--"

"Can't I get an upside to my opposition?" He asked, walking up to Mai, who had no where to go, and traced her cheekbone down to her neck. "Besides, such a pretty flower shouldn't duel such a crocodile like me."

Mia growled and slapped his hand away. "Hands off buster."

"Feisty, are you?" Asked Ushima, walking up to Mia and staring her down easily.

Mia blinked and turned away, "Let me out."

"Why? As Marik had said, such a woman should not even try to duel him... Go on and fall." She reached two hands up to Mia's head and muttered, "Time's Mind, Illusion of Childhood."

Mia screamed as Ushima's fingers started to glow and a pressure pushed at her mind, escaped memories flying to Ushima... Who began piecing together a plan to bring Mia Valentine down before her duel.

"My my, such a lonely childhood -- how would you like to be like that again--"

"MIA!" Joey screamed, racing out of the elevator alone. "I heard you scream and--" He gasped as he caught sight of Ushima and Marik doing something's to Mia's head. "Let her go! Now!"

The two partners looked at each other and agreed. Marik looked at Joey and replied, "As you say..." He flashed the Rob before him and a black cloud enveloped the two, but not before Mia screamed yet again when Ushima shoved her hand into Mia's face and disappeared with Marik.

"MIA!!" Joey screamed and ran over to Mia, who had collapsed on the floor. "Mia..." He turned Mia over in his arms and stared into her void face. "Mia! Can you hear--"

"I feel so alone..." She repeated quietly. "Father's gone away to England... And Mother is out on the town partying... I feel so alone..." The grown woman started to cry in the young man's arms...

Joey's eyes widened, watching Mia as the enchantment worked it's spell. "Oh no..."

The elevator dinged and Yugi, Tea, and Serenity ran out onto the platform, racing towards Joey.

"Joey..." Yugi looked around, "where's Mia? I heard her scream and -- Oh my..."

Joey stood up, something cradled in his arms and turned around to his friends with a sad expression on his face, looking down at a ten year old in his arms. She was sobbing softly, clutching onto his shirt, her face buried into his chest. Her long blonde hair tucked behind her ears and falling over Joey's arms, her cream silky nightgown draped over her as richly, stained with small tears, a small lace bow at the neck.

Serenity gasped, "Is that... Mia?"

Joey nodded as the girl shifted again, her eyes tightly closed, trying to block unwanted tears. "Yeah... That Ushima did something before they disappeared and... This happened."

Tea bit her lip, "Poor Mia..."

Yugi nodded, "Mia...? Can you answer me."

"I'm not all stupid Yugi." The girl sniffed and looked at Yugi with puffy, red eyes. "I just feel so alone..."

Yugi glanced at Tea, Tea at Serenity, and Serenity at Joey. Serenity shook her head at Tea, who sighed and looked back at Joey.

"Joey," Tea said, walking up, "let's get Mia back to her room, shall we?"

Joey nodded, as did the little girl, who sniffed and clutched onto Joey's shirt tighter, as a little scared girl would do. She spoke, "Marik just d-did this b-because he said that he didn't want to duel me... And now look at me."

Serenity walked up beside Joey holding Mia, "Don't worry Mia... You're not alone. Everyone is right beside you."

Mia looked up at Serenity and said, "Thank you Serenity."

Serenity smiled, "You're welcome -- I can stay with you if you want me to."

Mia seemed to debate this for a moment and spoke, "Would you? I know this is stupid but... I don't want to be alone... Not anymore."

Serenity nodded, "I don't mind. When I was almost blind, the last thing I wanted was to be left alone in the dark." She smiled, "I know exactly how that is."

Mia smiled slightly. "Thank you..."

Joey, Tea, and Yugi looked at each other and nodded, this wasn't going to be that bad, not like the rest of them. But they knew that Marik and this Ushima were no people to be taken lightly... And this was only the beginning.

* * *

Mai looked out of the blimp portal glumly, Serenity sitting in the chair behind her, looking outside at the passing clouds as well. Marik had been declared the winner by default, which didn't suit Mai at all. She wanted to fight... But in this state, she couldn't, She couldn't do anything as a shrimp. The girl sighed and turned her back to the portal, sitting Indian-style on the bed with her gown and looking to Serenity.

"How can you stand him?" Mai asked finally.

Serenity snapped out of her trance out of the window and blinked, "What Miss Mai? I'm sorry, I was..."

"I asked 'how can you stand him'?"

"Who?"

"You're brother." Mai laid down on the bed on her tummy, looking at the older Serenity (which she really didn't like for the moment) and tilting her head, looking at Serenity's confused face. "Oh you must know what I mean. How can you stand your brother being so goody-goody two-shoes? Always sticking up for the right thing and sticking his neck out for everyone else. _How_... Can you stand it?"

Serenity shrugged, "He's doing the right thing, and a good role model."

Mai rolled her eyes, "Role model or not, he's too predictable and stupid at times."

Serenity glared for a second, then shook her head, "No... he does what he should in his heart and that's all that matters. You know," she tucked her knees to her chest on the chair, "he wasn't always like that."

"Really now? Did he use to be a bad boy?" Mai asked, sarcastically.

Serenity opened her mouth, but another answered.

"I was actually, always being the one to start fights and barely make the grades." Joey came in through the door and looked out the window at the passing clouds. "I thought I was living in a stupid world, with stupid friends and a stupid family, having a stupid life. I didn't respect anybody. The I met Yugi, a innocent--"

"It always starts with Yugi, doesn't it?" Mai interrupted, "Why does every story start with Yugi changing somebody?"

"Because Mai, he did. After I began to get to know him... I started to respect myself a little more day after day, and started to respect others along with my fighting partner, Tristan. Tea wasn't that far behind, the one keeping me in line most of the time." He smiled slightly, "It's just something about that Yugi that gets everybody to change in one way or another -- even Kaiba changed! Though, that was from some freaky spell Yami did... But that's besides the point."

"Is it all related to the Millennium Puzzle?" Asked Serenity as another person walked into the room. It was Kurt.

Kurt replied to this one, "I don't think so. The Puzzle might have powers and all, but not ones that changes a person's personality." He shook his head, "No... everyone is influenced by someone or thing that helps them realize what they're missing, but most miss the influence and go on with their stupid lives with stupid people and a stupid family." He sat down on the bed next to Mia, "But if you learn from the influence and thrive at what they taught you, you can find our more about yourself and others in the world just by listening to your friends and family, that is the true magic."

Joey nodded, "Kurt's right -- it's not the Item's powers or other powers out there, it is the power of yourself, and that is the greatest magic of all."

Mia raised an eyebrow, "I still don't understand... Enlighten me?"

Kurt shook his head, "Mai, just listen to theses words from a surfer dude who can actually speak intelligently for once. The reason why Joey is goody-goody as you said, and Jaken and Tiki sacrificed themselves because friends stick together, though I don't know why they did that... I guess they couldn't stand with what they did for revenge, and the reason why I'm sticking around is all because of a small thing called friendship."

Mai sat up straight, "Do I have friendship like that in you all?"

The three smiled, "Of course."

Mia smiled, _You know,_ she thought, _maybe being a ten year old won't be that bad... Even with the stupid questions and the younger frame of mind and voice... I have these guys no matter what._

"Well," Joey said, shoving his hands into his pockets, "I just came to tell ya that Kaiba vs. Bakura is fixing to start--"

"Correcto Prominto," Kurt butted it, "it _has_ started."

"WHAT?" Joey shouted and raced out the door, "see ya later!"

Mai and Serenity laughed as Kurt bid them farewell and exited the room as well.

* * *

Bakura stood, wind whipping his white hair around dangerously and clothes billowing out of control. He stood there, facing Kaiba, who had a determined and very arrogant look on his face.

"Are you ready to duel Bakura?"

Bakura cocked his duel disk into place and sneered, "Are you ready to lose?"

"Dream on." Kaiba said and drew his hand as Joey burst through the elevator with Kurt and joined their friends on the sidelines. Kaiba rolled his eyes, idiots. "Roland, commence the duel."

Roland nodded and waved his hand in the air, "Alright! Let the duel COMMENCE!!" His hand cut through the air as Kaiba started the dance off with two face down traps and a monster in defense mode.

Bakura snorted. "This will be simple."

And it was. Both opponents dealt blows equal or better than their previous, not letting one slip-up go to waste. Kaiba would throw Bakura a bone, and Bakura would throw it right back -- into Kaiba's gut. Then Kaiba would arm a bazooka and shoot it at Bakura -- not literally of course, but just to give the visual detail of the duel...

... And all the time, Marik and Ushima grinned anxiously, Ushima already knowing the catastrophic outcome and what punishment she told Marik to befall upon the poor soul... And the time came, quicker than anyone thought.

"BROTHER!!" Mokuba cried as Bakura summoned his Obolisk the Tormentor of Naomi's and Seto surrendered. Kaiba had to surrender... If he didn't, he would surely be in critical condition and then... Who would take care of Mokuba...?

Seto lowered his head and sank to his knees, waiting for the Spirit of the Ring's maniatic laugh and the point that he lost shoved in his face, it never came.

Bakura waited until the stage was back on the stage arena and walked off the stage. He stopped and turned for a second. "Nice duel." He said quietly before walking into the elevator and disappearing.

Marik pulled out his Rod when Ushima gave him the signal of the flick of her hair and flashed it before him. "Let's punish you too..."

The Puzzle flashed and Yami raced over to the other side of the dueling arena where Marik was, "Marik! Stop! Stop this madness!!"

Marik grinned and said, "**Punishment: Insider of Mind**!" He laughed as Yami looked shockingly at Kaiba, who was still kneeling.

"K-Kaiba...?" Yami asked, walking up to the duelist, who's eyes suddenly grew distant and body plunged to the ground. "KAIBA!" He turned back to Marik, "what have you done?!"

Marik laughed and pointed towards Mokuba surprisingly, "He's and insider to one's mind."

Yami and his friends faced Mokuba, who was looking befuddled, then suddenly screamed out in pain, crashing to his knees and clutching his head. He started to breath heavily, whimpering as he sank lower to the ground.

Kurt and Tea both gasped, running over to the boy. They knelt down beside him and rubbed his shoulders. Yami walked over and knelt down in front of Mokuba. He lifted the kid's chin to meet his eyes, Mokuba's pain-filled eyes gazing back at him tearfully. Eyes distant yet focused. An icy blue tent lit their black orbs, cold and stern.

The spirit growled and stood back up, starting over towards Marik.

Kurt caught on to what he was going to do and pulled him back -- by his HAIR. "WHOA! Think about this... You don't need to do this right now, wait till -- until you duel him!" He turned Yami around to face him, the thousands of years older teen glared at him hatefully for once. "Now don't give me that look you. I have better sense than you at this point I think. You don't just go charging in unarmed."

"Leave me and my businesses alone."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "Look at you yourself, revenge, hello? Ring and familiar BELLS in this world? Eh? If you haven't been taught anything from Jaken and Tiki, then you are stupid -- not trying to insult you either -- but not now..."

The others just stood back and watched, not thinking that they should butt in at the moment. Kurt was doing his job pretty well at calming the enraged spirit down.

"Now just breath." Kurt said, hair falling into his face, "Not now, got that?"

Yami clenched his fists... And nodded. Kurt was right. This wasn't the right time to pick a fight, and Yugi agreed from his soul room. "Alright Kurt, you win."

"That's a lot coming from a Game King." Kurt winked and backed off, looking at Mokuba, who was still cowering in pain. "Mokuba, are you alright?"

Mokuba looked up with trembling eyes, focused one second and distant the next. "I... I don't -- don't know." He clutched his head again. "I feel like my head is going to explode!"

Michael looked at Leigh and Zillah before walking over and kneeling beside the boy his age. "Mokuba...? I know I can't do much..." He sat down Indian style beside Mokuba, looking back up for the others to exit.

Joey and Leigh were the first to notice this and ushered everyone else into the elevator.

"Let's leave these two to be," Leigh opted and ushered everyone into the elevator and just poking her head out enough to say, "Don't take too long." And the elevator closed.

Michael nodded and turned back to Mokuba, "Mokuba, just calm down and breath -- you're hyperventilating."

"How would you feel if you're brother was stuck in you're head?!" Mokuba shot back irritated -- his bother's annoyance leaking through to him.

"I wouldn't know." Michael said.

"Well, it doesn't feel that inviting! My brain is crammed with him in it and I-I can feel him in there! It hurts!" Mokuba said hysterically, clutching his head tighter. "So just shut up and leave me alone! You can't help!"

Michael snorted and stood up, "You know, maybe you're right! I can't help you! But at least I stuck around to _try_! And yes, I do know how it feels, I know how it feels to have so much knowledge crammed into your brain at once. I'm a genius you know." He shrugged started away, "But of course a great Kaiba wouldn't want any help..."

Mokuba looked up to Michael walking away and debated in his head. _What do I do?... He wants to help but..._

Mokuba blinked and stood up, "Wait! Michael..."

Michael turned around, "Hmmm?"

"Could you help? Not with my problem now... But..."

"Listen, as far as I'm concerned," Michael said friendly, "we are both without a loved one in one way or another... Even though you're brother's in your mind... Well, care to look after each other? Seems like everyone else has a partner besides us."

Mokuba smiled and nodded, "Friends then?"

"As my sister would say, 'Friends, meh, who need friends? Friends are only families with no blood relation, brother.' So..." Michael shrugged, "Meh, why not brother?"

Mokuba laughed slightly at Michael's impersonation of his sister and they shook. "Right."

Michael winked, "You'd be surprised at all the quotes I've racked up from years of being around a nuthead -- and her cronies."

Mokuba laughed again and followed Michael to the elevator. The elevator door closed and Michael leaned against the wall. Thinking. A plan was forming in his mind...a plan that would either save them, or plunge them deep down...

* * *

But, as all stories begin and end, this one has some plot holes like any others, and this is one of them. There is no use into getting into the point at what plan was forming in Michael's head and what happened that night --- I believe it was self-explanatory mostly anyway if you picked up the clues.

And so, Michael gathered Serenity and Mokuba from their rooms and told them his plan, which neither Serenity nor Mokuba liked at all (Mokuba because Seto was screaming in his head 'This is madness Mokuba! Do this and your grounded for the rest of---' well, you get the point). But they complied and stowed away into the mouth of the tiger, into the bowls of the devil.

What were they out to get? Heh, that might have been obvious by now.

The Millennium Rod.

Michael tapped into the room easily with his genius brain and crept into the room with Mokuba and Serenity clinging to his coattail. He gulped and looked around. Something was wrong...

The door suddenly closed behind them and they spun around as fast as they could to only meet the insane face of Marik, grinning at them.

"Visitors? I haven't had them in quite a while..."

The kids backed up, but only to hear a cackle from behind them and Ushima walk out of the shadows. They were literally shaking in their boots now. This was NOT planned.

"I thought you said they would be asleep!" Mokuba whispered and Michael snapped back, "How should I have known that they don't sleep?!" Mokuba just muttered and listened to his brother's sudden quietness at the sight of Marik.

"Oh, what can we do with them?" Ushima asked, lifting Serenity's chin up and stroking her cheek, "Such precious jewels. What can we do with them?"

Ushima turned her head to Michael and grinned, "I think I know..."

* * *

Naomi screamed and hit her fist on the mirror Destiny had conjured to look to what the others were doing back outside the Shadow Realm, and the first thing Naomi saw was Michael being threatened by Ushima. She dropped to her knees, sobbing.

"D-D-Destiny, we h-have to d-do something!" She sniffed and Destiny just shook her head. "But we h-have to!"

"But there's no way." Destiny replied, shrugging, "We just have to wait."

Tiki leaned on Jaken's shoulder, "No," she breathed, "Naomi shouldn't wait, she would do anything for Michael, and she would do anything now. If there was any chance, she should take it and not us, we can stay here."

Naomi looked back to Tiki and Jaken, who both smiled at her and looked back to Destiny, she did the same. "Please Destiny? Anything..."

Destiny looked Naomi as if someone had just hit her with a brick, "_Anything_? As in not going back yourself?"

"Just to save Michael, I would give my life."

Destiny shook her head, "I don't ask for that much...just that you save your brother then and be careful, you only have one chance at this --- and I might see what else I can do later on."

Naomi stood back up, relieved --- then felt her stomach jerk and she fell through the black sand, screaming all the way down....

* * *

Michael breathed in and out slowly as Ushima advanced on them with an orb of red light, Marik holding the Millennium Rod to his throat. They had picked him first because he was the sibling to a Chosen One and should have been dealt with quickly.

Mokuba and Serenity looked on in the background, praying for a miracle, or for someone to wake up and find them missing --- but that was a feeble chance.

Michael was careful not to show fear, especially to this bitch, as he thought hatefully. She was the cause of his sister's trip to the Shadow Realm, and she was the cause of his predicament right now. He hated her.

Ushima laughed and held the orb inches from Michael's nose, the blue flames nipping at his nose. He winced and pulled back, but only to get poked in the back by Marik's knife of the Rod, and stumbled forwards again. He gave a shuddered, staring out the window, thinking that he would be six feet under soon. He felt her grip his shirt and pull him forwards, the orb touching his cheek and burning it, he could feel his skin begin to fizzle.

"Say 'bye-bye' brat, I will enjoy your---"

"PUT HIM DOWN USHIMA!" Yelled a pissed voice as someone whacked Ushima with a staff and set her sailing to the other side of the room. The figure then whacked Marik too, sending his Millennium Rod to the other side of the room, then knocked him in the chin, sending him backwards into the wall. "Well? Don't just stand there!" The figure pushed them out the door and the figure shut it, sighing. "They will be very sore when they wake up later..."

"Uh, thanks and all, but who are you?" Michael asked, tapping the girl on the shoulder.

The figure turned around to reveal the Dark Magician Girl...or so they thought. "Hey there bro," she smiled and ruffled his hair, "miss me?"

Michael blinked and looked at the Dark Magician Girl's face, seeing Naomi, only dressed in the skimpy clad outfit. Giving her the blonde hair and eyes, she looked just like the Dark Magician Girl. "NAOMI!" He yelled and hugged his sister as tight as he could, "I missed you too much..."

"Same here kiddo," Naomi said, rubbing his hair smoothly as others came out of their rooms to look at all of the commotion. "So what's---" A fireball blasted her into the wall as Ushima stood up, fuming.

"Dare to touch me mortal! Dare not to again!" She sneered, sending a stream of dark magic towards the Dark Magician Girl again.

Naomi screamed as Kurt burst into the room. "Naomi!"

The Dark Magician Girl shattered into a million pieces, disappearing back into the Realm of Darkness.

Michael shuddered and looked steamed over to Ushima, "You," his voice trembled, "You hurt my sister ---"

Kurt gasp as a knife was raised above the boy's head. "Michael---!"

Marik grabbed Michael by the shirt and shoved the knife to his throat, "You . . . You have meddled long enough." The rod glowed, and Michael flew to the other side of the room, and crumpled to the floor. The madman turned his gaze to Kurt, the only one left in the room.

Kurt gripped his fists, shaking in anger he had never felt before. "Do not dare to hurt anyone else you sick (ugly) infuriating son of a bitch!" He screamed and took a spare Duel Disk from the counter, it must have been Mia's, and slipped it on. "I swear! The next time you do --- I will kill you!"

Ushima hummed to herself quietly, kicking the boy to the side as she walked forwards, "A challenge? So amusing . . . Should I stake it?"

Kurt's voice trembled, "If you don't take it, then you will prove to be a coward, and the woman that you truly are. One scared to fight!"

"What will you do if I win?"

"I'll stake my very soul to defeat you and that dog of yours." Kurt licked his lips, his heart racing. He had only acted like this once, and once before. "You have taken my best friend, you have taken my only crush, and you have taken my crush's friend! I will never forgive you!" The Duel Disk clicked into dueling mode. "What say you?!"

Ushima's smile curved downward as she took the Duel Disk from Mark and stepped forth, taking a deck from her pocket. "I am getting tired of your pitiful insults. If I get rid of you, I get rid of the last Dreamer! Then I will rule all. You do know what you are staking, don't you?"

"I know."

"Good, for I don't want your soul to not have everlasting peaceful eternity ---" her eyes flashed red "---in hell."

* * *

And so, the duel commenced with great expectations on the dueling platform above. Both players drew their hands, both players fighting for their own. Everyone who could still walk was watching in one way or another, by the TV on the blimp, or by their eyes themselves. But . . . Ushima had different plans for the game . . .

Kurt --- 2200 Ushima --- 1200

Kurt drew another card, eyes widening. He licked his lips and placed the card upon the disk, "I summon Amozoness Warrior!"

In a shrouding light, an Amazon Warrior burst from the light in a dazzling display and stood upright, then blinked, and looked around so befuddled, she did even notice she was clutching onto a sword, and nicked herself in the knee.

"Ow!" She yelped and dropped the sword, looking back to Kurt. Her chocolate brown eyes widened. "K-KURT?!"

The young man almost lost his cards. "Tiki?! How did you ---"

"Play your move, tick tock tick tock, time is wasting! One false move and your friend gets sent to the graveyard! Never to return!" Ushima grinned in delight as Tiki picked up her sword.

"Sicko!" Tiki screamed at the woman as a piece of masking tape wrapped around her mouth, at Ushima's command. "Mmmm!!"

"Now now, don't talk back to me." She laughed and played two cards face down.

Kurt looked at his cards. "This is bad . . ."

Tiki looked back in surprise and gulped, turning back to the front. It was Kurt's turn again. He summoned the Mercury Warrior. (please don't kid me for this later) ATK 0/ DEF 1700 A blue angel-like creature formed beside the Amazonness Warrior, blue wings spreading from it's back and blue hair bursting from it's bald scalp. Dark orbs shown confused as he looked back to his master, then to Ushima. He was dressed in a blue robe, diamonds plastered on his light blue forehead. "Show me what to do, Kurt."

"Alright Jaken, defense."

Jaken coughed purposely and glared back to his friend, "DEFENSE?! IS THAT ALL I CAN DO?!"

Kurt placidly tapped the card on the Duel Disk. "You have no attack points, dude."

"Damn."

* * *

As Kurt dueled on, he kept his friends on the field, taking the blasts himself and slowly dwindling down his own life points. Soon, he was down to 200LP, and he had no energy left at all. His bones felt as if they would melt, and his skin seemed to fry itself off his skin. Coughing, he knelt to the ground and hugged himself to try and rid himself of the pain, the searing, tearing pain which tempted to rip at his very soul.

Both Jaken and Tiki looked back. What could they do? . . . Nothing. Nothing at all. They were Duel Monsters, and they couldn't comfort him at all! But . . . Someone else could.

A duel disk clicked beside Kurt and Michael stood on shaky legs. "I'll take over here, Kurt."

Zillah gasped, running up to the platform. "Don't you dare you stupid!" She spat. Leigh ran up with her, "I won't save you this time kiddo!"

Micheal nodded, breathing slowly. He had bruised a rib when he collided with the wall, but he was still functional . . . And he now had Naomi's deck. His eyes flashed to Yami, who's eyes glinted, he knew her deck would come into use sometime.

"I'll duel you now Ushima! I can take it."

Kurt coughed and shook his head, "I don't think so, you're just a kid."

"Maybe, but I'm in college, and I think I can handle someone like her. If you think you've seen me in action, you haven't. Ushima, I'm telling you now --- Don't mess with a genius, especially ME."

Ushima laughed, "Ah, I wish you could boy, but Kurt still has this duel, and you need not interfere."

Kurt licked his lips and nodded, "I can't let you Michael, this is my fight. Everyone else has fought except me."

The boy took his arm down. "But then . . . What can I do?"

"Watch me, and cheer me on!" Kurt stood up abruptly as if he had gotten his second wind, and he had. "Now woman, take your move and get on with the duel! You can't stay leading forever!"

Ushima grinned and drew her card, looked at it, and then set it onto the field. "I call upon Petite Angel in defense mode. Let him fight some more. On the other hand . . ." her eyes darted to Tiki, who gasped and tried to take the tap off again. "I can destroy her . . It will be easy with my Dark Necrophear on the table. But . . ." She smiled, "I'll let the suffering continue."

"No, you can't." Kurt muttered and touched his card. (BIG MOMENT!) He could feel some sort of energy, some sort of pulse suddenly flow through him as he picked the card from many others. This was his last chance to save his friends, sure, Yami could defeat her, they could try. But he wanted to end this now, end this and never see this filthy woman again! . . . And he drew the card.

The Dark Magician Girl.

Kurt looked up and knew he only had his two monsters on the field, then to his hand. There was one card . . . One card in his hand he had never seen before. It cover was blue, it's picture was indescribable. He had never seen this before in his hand . . . Did he miss it or something? It was not a magic, nor a trap. It wasn't a monster or a fusion. It was a made-up card. But who's it was? He had no clue.

_Mine, silly!_ Giggled a voice in his ear.

Kurt smiled, "Hers, silly." He repeated and smiled. "Guys, do you think you two can suffer the Shadow Realm, just for a little longer?"

Both Tiki and Jaken looked back in a confused manner, but nodded. "Why? Both asked in unison.

"I have a plan."

"What type?" Jaken inquired, since Tiki really couldn't talk at all.

"One which I can win by, if I you'll help us."

"Us?"

"Hers." He repeated simply and looked down to the card in his hand. "Hers . . ."

Both glanced at each other and then at Kurt. "Alright, shoot away!"

Kurt nodded, "Take care."

Tiki finally ripped the tape from her mouth. "You better win!" She gasped.

Kurt nodded, "Now I sacrifice both Amazoness Warrior and Mercury Warrior to summon ---" He took the two cards form the disk as his friends faded yet again, " --- to summon the Dark Magician Girl!"

Naomi appeared in a burst of light, in the Magician garb. She twirled her staff and grinned at Ushima. Kurt played the unknown card.

"And now I play _Oath to Veracity_!"

Ushima's eyes widened. "What?"

Kurt stuck out his tongue and gave the piece sign. "And that means I can summon both the monsters I destroyed and combine their life points to a magician! I choose the Dark Magician Girl!" Naomi grinned again as both Tiki and Jaken came back, their clothes and forms melting to their own selves as their Attack and Defense was given up to the magician. Both friends stood behind the Magician.

Naomi tapped the staff on her hand as the clothes faded to her own, the staff still tight in her hand. "You know Ushima, I am truly getting tired of you." She spat, "And I won't take any more of it!"

Kurt nodded, "Yeah! And with this, your life points will retreat to zero and you LOSE!"

"TAKE THIS YOU WITCH!" Naomi screamed as she aimed the staff towards the woman and fired. The light burst from the end of the staff in a flaming blue inferno, lighting the night sky in an awkward radiance which seemed to explode within itself and hush, simmering to a mere bolt of charge which grew into a renown light, the light everyone saw within themselves.

Ushima gasped and became smoldered in the light. She screamed . . . And it faded in the night sky, as did the unearthly light. Yami Malik faded to his former, and the dark cloud vanished. After the light disappeared, a tall woman with long black hair and a black suit close to Destiny's fell from where Ushima once was.

Tiki's eyes widened, "Time . . ."

The woman coughed and looked up to the four teens. She wheezed, "Who's card was that? Who's card defeated me?" Her body began to wisp away with the wind, disappearing the vast expanse of the sky within a black smoke. "Tell me who's card?"

Kurt pointed to Naomi, as did Tiki and Jaken.

"H-How?"

"The card was our everlasting link of friendship, the glue which bound us together, all of us." Her hands outstretched to everyone on the blimp. Everyone.

Time growled, "Damn you girl, damn you . . ." And she faded away into nothingness, wisped away like the sands of time.

The three holographs faded, the souls finally retreating back to their former bodies. It felt so good to be home.

Kurt sighed and looked over to Micheal, who stood beside Leigh and Zillah. He gave a thumbs up and took in a long, deep, deserving breath.

* * *

I know, three short dues in one, but I had to do this. There was no way to split it up. I am very proud of this story and all of its plotholes --- but those are to be addressed later. (Hopefully)

Please leave your comments and stay tuned for the LAST CHAPTER!!

R & R!!!!!!!!


	16. They Spoofed the Epilogue

After five years (four without updates), three system failures, about fifteen writers blocks, and twenty different fandoms, I have completed the circle. And here, before you, is the final chapter about five years after the first chapter began. I'd like to say that I'd hate to say goodbye to these characters and this fandom, but I'm really quite relieved.

Is that really so bad?

This was my first story I ever debuted on , and certainly not the last. I'm proud to say that I have grown as a writer, and if you ever consider looking from the first chapter to this one, you might see a bit of an improvement.

So thanks to everyone who's reviewed this monstrosity. You guys have influenced me more than you'll ever understand. Thank you!

* * *

Jump

_An Epilogue_

The whole lot of people, after Time had vanished into pretty white stardust, rushed below deck to make sure Naomi, Tiki, and Jaken were unscathed -- at least for the most part (they were expected to have slight dementia and a bit of a migraine, as Yami diagnosed). Michael was the first to bombard the elevator, followed closely by his two cohorts. Then went the good, the bad, and the ugly. All swallowed by the elevator going down to the infirmary. Kurt was the only one who stayed atop the arena.

He didn't like crowds, and he knew his friends would suck it up. They were going to be fine. He just wanted some piece and quiet -- and oh God how he wished he had a surfboard and a killer wave to ride. He'd trade his duel deck for it any day.

After a while, the elevator dinged back up and the doors opened to an orange-clad Jamaican headed by the Kaiba brothers. A smile lit Kurt's face.

"Surprised to see me?" Tiki grinned and skipped over to him. They hugged, and he took in her smell -- cocoanut and butter cream. He didn't admit it, but he rather liked dark-skinned girls with dreads and a knack for the peculiar. "I'm so proud of you, Kurt."

"Yeah, well, I hated it."

"All of it?"

"Mostly."

She giggled and stared into his eyes with her warm chocolate ones. They reminded him of melting chocolate kisses in summer. A pearly smile spread across her pink lips. She winked and put a finger to the side of her nose, "Guess what Naomi and Jake are doing?"

He groaned. "Lemme guess…"

"Love is in the air, everywhere I look around!" she crowed.

Mokuba chuckled. Kaiba cleared his throat appropriately. Business men did not stand idle during lovey-dovey moments, or perfect seconds of friendship, and Kaiba wasn't about to start. He might have buttered up if he had.

"What? Do you want to thank me too?" The surfer turned cockily to the brunette. "And BTW, it's _way_ too cold up here dudes." He shivered dramatically. "You think you could be rich enough to afford a heater out here, you know man?"

Kaiba gave a loud snort and mutedly stalked into the elevator again. Mokuba tagged along with a hand on his big brother's waistcoat. Score one for the Kurt-meiser. He was getting pretty good at telling people to move it without actually spelling it out for them. Tiki hid a mischievous grin.

"You know, Kurt," Tiki slowly moved to the railing, not so bothered by the cold. Sometimes it was good to layer and wear bright neon orange leg and arm warmers. "This was fun, actually."

"_Fun_?" Kurt scoffed. "How was this fun?"

Tiki shrugged. "What would you be doing right now in our world?"

"Surfing," was his automatic reply.

"Anything else?"

"Well…no, not really. But I wouldn't have been battling for the souls of people I originally hated --" he scrunched his nose and came up to lean on the railing beside Tiki. She gave him a level look that made him take back his words. "Hate is too strong maybe… highly detested?"

"Better," Tiki grinned. "And now look, we're all BFFs!"

"Now that's a little too strong. Maybe just BFs."

"You're right," she coincided. "We're not like these guys," she motioned all around her at the vacant arena, and the people who once occupied it. "We have choices, I think."

Kurt agreed. "And we don't have filler episodes."

"Or crappy endings."

"That'd debatable. It's very philosophical. And, honestly, if he had stuck around yaoi fangirls would've went crazy with it." The blonde-headed young man turned his back on the glowing Domino city skyline. "Do you think we should tell them about it?"

Tiki cocked her head and mutely imagined if they did tell Yami to stick around and forget about the whole name thing. It wasn't that important anyway. What was in a name anyway? A rose by any other rose still smells as sweet. Shakespeare quickly shared a room with the yami and his aibou in handcuffs in her mind, and she shrugged. "I wouldn't mind if we did..."

"Oh shit, you're one of them too, aren't you?"

"How about these guys' predecessors?" She changed the subject evasively.

He raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Who? That Jaden dude?" When Tiki nodded solemnly, he shivered. "Sorry, but I like these guys better. More personable."

"Tyrannical Egyptian spirits are _more personable_?" asked another.

Tiki and Kurt turned to the elevator. Jaken and Naomi stepped out together, their fingers laced into each others. There was a foreign glint in their eyes, and smiles that were oddly misplaced on their faces. Almost silly, almost overzealous.

Jake rolled his eyes. "You have to be kidding me. How are they _more personable_?"

"Bakura wasn't so bad once you got to know him," Tiki defended.

"And Yami Malik wasn't as scary…" Naomi started, then nervously laughed. "Wait, wait. Nevermind. He still scares the crap out of me."

The others agreed.

"Hey guys?" Kurt finally voiced. "How're we going to get home?"

"_Are_ we going to get home?" Jake interjected.

"We could take the wheelchair express," Naomi opted.

"Or just, you know, chillax here for a while," came Tiki's timid reply.

Her friends gave her a blank look, then they exchanged glances with everyone else. Jake and Kurt shrugged. Tiki gave Naomi a weary smile. Naomi finally rolled her eyes with a sigh.

Tiki put an arm around her best friend's shoulder, "It's summer break, Nay-Nay," she was also trying to convince herself too, "and we just saved the whole world from mass and epic failure. We deserve a vacation!"

"I'm sure we could con Kaiba into renting out one of his massive beach houses to us," Jake schemed, and Kurt applauded at the idea.

"Hell yes! Surf's up in Japan, baby!"

"But my brother," Naomi pouted. "He's got summer classes. And those two other girls. What about them? And I miss my parents, like, a lot. And I mean _a lot_ a lot."

The others agreed. Despite how much fun they would have in Domino, and how many friends they had, it was already bad enough that they royally screwed up the whole timeline of the world, and they didn't need to interfere into the next saga -- none of them wanted to haul their asses to America anyway. And Rebecca got on their nerves. If they stuck around, Naomi knew Jake would shove her into a closet sooner or later.

Finally, Tiki sucked in a lungful of breath and looked over the railing to the glittering mass of Domino thousands of feet below. A gush of wind pushed across the arena. "Then let's jump."

"You're kidding, right?" Kurt asked. "We'd die."

But Naomi understood perfectly. "We got here by jumping -- sort of."

The others agreed tragically.

"I was pulling an ollie," Jake said.

"Falling off a massive wave," agreed Kurt.

"And we were in a wheelchair," the two girls said in unison.

"So we jump!" Tiki told them. "We jump for all its worth." Kurt took her hand and squeezed it tightly for reassurance. They'd need a lot of it, especially if it didn't work. So they stood on the railing, balancing with hands held tightly, and couldn't understand how they had such perfect balance.

"We're in an _anime_," Jaken stated point-blank. "It happens."

"Shouldn't we tell them goodbye?" Tiki nervously asked.

But a gust of wind catapulted across the arena again, slipped Naomi's foot off the railing, and tumbled her down. And she just happened to have been holding hands with Jaken, who held hands with Kurt, who held hands with Tiki. They fell in a chain reaction. Isn't Newton's law a wonderful, effective escape route?

"To LAAAATTTEEEE!" Kurt screeched, and they all fell screaming into the nightlife of Domino city.

* * *

Ryou was sipping his tea in the cafeteria when a white blur past the window. He did a double-take, and cocked his head to Yugi. "Did you just see that?"

"What?" asked Yugi.

Thinking better of it, he opted not to say he just saw four humanoid figures fall past the window, and said, "Oh, never mind. The height is getting to me, I think."

"Oh, do you need to go see the nurse?"

But Ryou just smiled. "No, I'll be fine."

But Michael saw the blur all right. He took another sip of water from his plastic cup, and wished them luck. If the news did not find four pancake-sized teens in the next twenty-four hours, he'd option the escape route to Zillah and Leigh. Otherwise, he was quite content where he was.

"So, Joey," Michael sat down beside the blonde-headed young man. "About your sister…"

* * *

THE END.

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End file.
